#25: Exploring Copper Sulfate

I recently synthesized a compound called copper(II) sulfate (CuSO4). While it is commonly sold as an algaecide at hardware stores, I decided to make it myself in order to explore the chemistry. To do so, I combined 5 grams copper wire, 10 ml of 30% hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and 3 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid (H2SO4).

Here's the chemical reaction that took place:
Cu + H2SO4 + H2O2 → CuSO4 + 2H2O

After diluting the resulting solution and dividing it into two test tubes, I performed two chemical reactions. In the left test tube, I added a small amount of ammonia (NH3). This formed a complex compound called tetraamminecoppper(II) sulfate, which appeared dark blue. In the right test tube, I added hydrochloric acid (HCl) which reacted with the copper sulfate to form green copper chloride (CuCl2).