^x = Small number that signifies the quantity of an element. Copper (Cu) + Sulfuric Acid (H^2SO^4) -> ?Would it make - CuSO^4 + H^2?If it helps I know that SO^4 is a negative 2 charge, and Cu is in the centre of the periodic table (which I think means it can react with anything).
You are wrong in your assumption that Cu can react with anything. Cu is below Hydrogen in the reactivity series along with other rare metals Ag (silver) and Au (gold)...being below hydrogen they are not reactive enough to displace hydrogen from H2SO4 thus no reaction occurs at room temperature. However Cu reacts wit concentrated H2SO4 under hot conditions. In a concentrated state H2SO4 acts as a strong oxidizing agent and oxidizes Cu(solid) to Cu2+ and is reduced itself (from +8 to +4) to Sulfer Dioxide (SO2)... Cu(s ) + 4 H+(aq ) + SO42-(aq ) --> Cu2+(aq ) + SO2(g ) + 2 H2O(l ) You see bubbles and a throat-catching gas emerges from the solution and nothing else. Testing for the aqueous Cu2+ ions can be carried out by adding aqueous Ammonia to the solutions (in excess), a royal blue solution will form.
You are correct. Cu is a metal so will react with an acid to form H2 and the ionic compound between copper and the sulfate ion. In the formula you have written, Cu has a 2+ charge. Cu can also have a 1+ charge, and then the formula would be Cu2SO4, but for this reaction, the 2+ charge is most probable, so you are exactly correct. The copper II sulfate would be a very pretty blue in the water solution containing the product.
Copper is an unreactive metal (below hydrogen in the Reactivity Series) so is not capable of reducing hydrogen ions to hydrogen gas. There is therefore no reaction between copper metal and dilute sulphuric acid. However, copper reacts with warm concentrated sulphuric acid to produce copper ions and sulphur dioxide (SO2) - in fact, for many years, this was used as the standard laboratory preparation of SO2. Cu + 4H+ + (SO4)2- --> Cu2+ + SO2 + 2H2O
