International General Certificate of Secondary Education (IGCSE) Chemistry Practice Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $4.99 payment

Prepare for the IGCSE Chemistry Exam with our comprehensive quiz. Practice with multiple choice questions and detailed explanations to boost your understanding. Excel in your examination journey!

Practice this question and more.

What is the outcome of the reaction: sulfuric acid + copper oxide?

Gold sulfate + water
Copper sulfate + water
Iron sulfate + oxygen
Potassium sulfate + water

The correct answer is: Copper sulfate + water

The reaction between sulfuric acid and copper oxide produces copper sulfate and water. This is an example of a typical acid-base reaction where the acid (sulfuric acid) reacts with the metal oxide (copper oxide) to form a salt (copper sulfate) and water. In this case, sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) is a strong acid, and copper oxide (CuO) is a basic oxide. When they react, the copper ions from copper oxide combine with sulfate ions from sulfuric acid to form copper sulfate (CuSO₄), which is a soluble salt. Additionally, the hydrogen ions from the acid react with the oxide ions from the copper oxide to produce water (H₂O). This outcome clearly illustrates the neutralization process where an acid and a base react to produce a salt and water, confirming why copper sulfate and water are the products of this reaction.