Properties | More Info | Isotopes | Spectra
Compounds | Reactions | Production
Atomic: M.A.C. | Reference
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Reactions of Copper
Reactions with air
Copper metal is stable in air under normal conditions. When red hot, copper metal and oxygen react to form Cu2O.
  4Cu(s) + O2(g)2Cu2O(s)
Reactions with halogens
Copper reacts with fluorine, chlorine and bromine to form copper(II) dihalides.
  Cu(s) + F2(g)CuF2(s)
  Cu(s) + Cl2(g)CuCl2(s)
  Cu(s) + Br2(g)CuBr2(s)
Reactions with acids
Copper metal dissolves in hot concentrated sulphuric acid to form solutions containing the aquated Cu(II) ion together with hydrogen gas.
  Cu(s) + H2SO4(aq)SO42-(aq) + H2(g)
Copper metal also dissolves in dilute or concentrated nitric acid.
 
Reduction Potentials
Balanced half-reaction E0 / V
Cu2+ + 2e-Cu(s) +0.337
Cu2+ + e-Cu+ +0.153
Cu+ + e-Cu(s) +0.521
HCuO2- + 3H+ + e-Cu+ + 2H2O +1.73
CuO22- + 4H+ + e-Cu+ + 2H2O +2.51
HCuO2- + 3H+ + 2e-Cu(s) + 2H2O +1.13
CuO22- + 4H+ + 2e-Cu(s) + 2H2O +1.52
2Cu2+ + H2O + 2e-Cu2O(s) + 2H+ +0.20
2HCuO2- + 4H+ + 2e-Cu2O(s) + 3H2O +1.78
2CuO22- + 6H+ + 2e-Cu2O(s) + 3H2O +2.56
CuO + 2H+ + e-Cu+ + H2O +0.62
Cu2+ + Br- + e-CuBr(s) +0.64
Cu2+ + Cl- + e-CuCl(s) +0.54
Cu2+ + I- + e-CuI(s) +0.86
CuI(s) + e-Cu(s) + I- -0.185
Cu(NH3)42+ + e-Cu(NH3)2+ + 2NH3 -0.01
Cu(NH3)2+ + e-Cu(s) + 2NH3 -0.12
Cu(NH3)42+ + 2e-Cu(s) + 4NH3 -0.07