How to Make Copper Carbonate

Copper carbonate is an ionic salt that is composed of copper (II) and carbonate ions. The production of this compound is often used to illustrate the solubility differences of ionic salts. The precipitation of the copper carbonate from solution signals that a chemical reaction, in this case a salt metathesis reaction, has occurred. The preparation of this compound is a common lab procedure in first-year general chemistry studies. The reagents in this reaction are water soluble salt compounds.

Things You'll Need

• Copper sulfate
• Sodium carbonate
• Beakers
• Graduated cylinder
• Stirrer bars
• Heating mantle (optional)

Instructions

1. Create two solutions of aqueous reagents in separate beakers; one with calcium carbonate and one with copper sulfate. Each solution should have an identical molarity because their reaction proportions are equal.

2. Combine the two in a third vessel of adequate volume.

3. Stir the reaction solution for several minutes. A magnetic stir bar and heating mantle may be used to automate and speed up this process. Gentle heating above room temperature promotes the reaction process.

4. Decant the aqueous volume left in the reaction vessel. The remaining precipitate is the ionic salt copper carbonate. This salt is identified as a blue-green crystalline solid.

Tips & Warnings

• This process only produces raw copper carbonate. If this material is needed as a reagent for another reaction, recrystallization and vacuum filtration need to be performed to increase the purity of the product.

References

• "Chemistry, 5th edition"; John E. McMurry, Robert C. Fay; 2008
• "Chemistry the Central Science, 11th edition, Laboratory Experiments"; John H. Nelson, Kenneth C. Kemp; 2009