im a little perplexed on my homework for tonight.. the question isWhat value might there be in being able to remove copper from substances? Leaving it alone by itself?what are some ideas?
I hope you didn't craft that question because it's not particularly well worded. Value?? That's pretty much an opinion. If you're asking what reactions can do this then, the most likely suspect would be a single replacement reaction in which a metal goes into solution and copper comes out of solution as copper metal. Zn(s) + CuCl2(aq) --> ZnCl2(aq) + Cu(s) As for value, the most useful application would be to recover copper metal to make into copper wires, etc. =========== Follow up ============ Yes, you can dissolve copper metal from a printed circuit board, but I don't believe that is what you asked when you said ... remove copper from substances...leaving it alone.... Your question implies that you asking about separating copper from a compound and ending up with elemental copper. That is what a single replacement reaction will accomplish when copper is reduced and another metal is oxidized.
electronic circuit boards are sheets of phenolic resin coated with a layer of copper foil. a circuit pattern is drawn on the foil with a etch resist pen to protect the trace that is being designed. several different chemical substances are used to etched to the copper away, leaving the design in the board, and producing a prototype for electronic circuits. the chemicals are : ferric chloride, sodium persulfate, and ammonium persulfate. this circuit etching demonstrates the benefits of selectively removing and not removing the copper via the etching process. note: i read the question in more general terms. sounded like the questioner was asking in terms of common industrial usage rather than research terms.
