When heated, solid copper(II) carbonate decomposes to solid copper(II) oxide and carbon dioxide gas. What is the chemical equation (including phases) that describes this reaction?

Question

When heated, solid copper(II) carbonate decomposes to solid copper(II) oxide and carbon dioxide gas.  What is the chemical equation (including phases) that describes this reaction?

Noah Aldrich · Accepted Answer

#CuCO_3(s) + Delta rarr CuO(s) + CO_2(g)uarr#

Most carbonates go through this breakdown as long as you give them enough heat, but this reaction is balanced in terms of mass and charge—as it should be if it represents chemical reality.

Typically, we would fiercely heat the copper carbonate in a vessel whose outflow was bled into a solution of limewater, #Ca(OH)_2(aq)#. The liberated carbon dioxide would react with the calcium hydroxide to form a carbonate:

#Ca(OH)_2(aq) + CO_2(g) rarr CaCO_3(s)darr + H_2O(l)#

If you looked closely, you could see that the second flask was starting to form a fine, white precipitate of calcium carbonate.

Jeremiah Adams · Answer

undefined CuCO3(s) -> CuO(s) + CO2(g) is the chemical equation that describes how solid copper(II) carbonate breaks down into solid copper(II) oxide and carbon dioxide gas.

Wyatt Adkins · Answer

undefined The chemical equation for the decomposition of solid copper(II) carbonate to solid copper(II) oxide and carbon dioxide gas when heated is:

CuCO3(s) -> CuO(s) + CO2(g)