Lower grade Biology question?
What are 3 safety concerns for the following experiment?
1) pour sulfuric acid into the beaker until it reaches about 25 ml
2) add a small spatula of black copper oxide
3) carefully warm over a yellow bunsen burner flame… Stir with the glass rod until all copper oxide is dissolved
4) remove from tripod and place on the heat proof mat
5) connect up the circuit,set the power pack on 6 V DC and allow it to run for a couple of minutes
6) turn of the power and remove the electrodes? Scrape off any pure copper onto filter paper or a paper towel?
Thanks
You’re going to be working with acid, fire, and electricity? Yikes.
1. Pouring sulfuric acid: it’s volatile and caustic. You’re going to need to do this in a fume hood that’s on, and don’t spill any. You need the full lab getup of gloves and goggles. Sleeves cover your arms to prevent splatter from getting on your skin.
2. When you add the copper oxide do so slowly. You don’t know how quickly it’s going to react. As before, do so in a fume hood that’s on while wearing protection.
3. Be sure your burner can’t be knocked over. Your beaker must also be secured with clamps.
4. The glass rod must be long enough so that you can stir without burning your hand. Also note that a hot glass rod looks exactly like a cool glass rod, so don’t assume that it’s cool when picking it up afterward — make careful note of orientation and handle it by the cool end.
5. Don’t splatter when inserting or taking out the glass rod, or when stirring. Same for when you insert or take out the electrodes. Gloves and goggles.
6. Remember to rinse your pure copper to remove residual acid.
Rubber Spatula