Chemical Formula for Copper – Chemical Symbol, Properties, Uses

Chemical Formula for Copper: Copper is a metal having a symbol as ‘\({\rm{Cu}}\).’ Copper is the third most widely used metal in the world. It is a d-block element in the periodic table having atomic number \(29\). It appears reddish and is an extremely ductile metal. Copper is also known as ‘Coinage metal’ because it was used to make coins in ancient eras. It is one of the well-known metals that is used in multiple fields all over the world.

Copper is an extremely good conductor of heat and electricity, and this property of copper is responsible for its wide use in making utensils and electric wires. Copper is also a necessary trace element required by the human body. Copper is commonly extracted from its ores Chalcopyrite, also known as copper pyrites and similar sulphide ores. Copper is mostly found in Chile and Peru, situated in South America. In India, Jharkhand, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh are the major producers of copper. Once copper ores are extracted, they are processed through numerous steps to extract pure and refined copper metal from them.

Copper Chemical Formula

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The name is derived from the Latin word cuprum for Cyprus, the island where the Romans first obtained copper. Since copper is an element, instead of a chemical formula, it has a symbol. The symbol of copper is \({\rm{‘Cu’}}\) The symbol \({\rm{‘Cu’}}\) comes from the cuprum itself. This element has been known since prehistoric times.

Copper is a metal used in various aspects of life and has occupied an important part of civilization. Copper is situated in group \(11\) and period \(4\) of the Modern Periodic Table. Its atomic number is \(29\), and its electronic configuration is \({\rm{[Ar]3}}{{\rm{d}}^{{\rm{10}}}}{\rm{4}}{{\rm{s}}^{\rm{1}}}\). Electrons distributed in different energy levels in copper are \(2,8,18,1.\)

Physical Properties of Copper

Copper is the \(29^{\text {th }}\) element of the Modern Periodic Table, also known as the transition element, as it is a d-block element. Some of the important physical properties of copper are given below:

1. Copper has a characteristic reddish-brown colour.
2. Copper is an extremely soft, ductile, and malleable metal. Thus, it can be shaped or bent to the desired form according to our needs.
3. It is a good conductor of heat and electricity. Due to this reason, it is used to make electric wires and utensils.
4. The density of this metal is \(8.96\, \mathrm{gcm}^{-3}\)
5. The atomic mass of copper is \(63.546\, \mathrm{u}\)
6. Copper has a high melting point, i.e., \(1084.62{ }^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\), and a high Boiling point, i.e., \(2562{ }^{\circ} \mathrm{C}\)
7. It exists as a solid phase at room temperature, having a Face Centered Cubic (FCC) crystal structure.
8. The two stable isotopes of copper in nature are \({ }^{63} \mathrm{Cu}\) and \({ }^{65} \mathrm{Cu}\)

Chemical Properties of Copper

1. Like other metals, copper reacts with a moist atmosphere that leads to corrosion. Copper gets tarnished into blue-green colour forming copper hydroxide and copper carbonate. But the corrosion process in copper is extremely slow because, on exposure to moisture and air, a protective oxide layer and basic salts are formed on the surface of copper metal.

2. Copper dissolves in nitric acid.

3. Copper reacts with oxygen in the air to form copper (II) oxide.

\({\rm{2Cu}}\left( {\rm{s}} \right){\rm{ + }}{{\rm{O}}_{\rm{2}}}\left( {\rm{g}} \right) \to {\rm{2CuO}}\left( {\rm{s}} \right)\)

4. Copper reacts with halogens to form copper halides of different colours, such as copper chloride (yellow-brown solid in anhydrous and blue-green solid in dihydrate), copper fluoride (white colour), and copper bromide (black colour).

5. In the reactivity series of metals, copper occupies the lower position. Thus, it is less reactive. Copper gets displaced by iron when an iron nail is dipped in a copper sulphate solution. This leads to the formation of Ferrous sulphate and copper.

\(\mathrm{CuSO}_{4}(\mathrm{aq})+\mathrm{Fe}(\mathrm{s}) \rightarrow \mathrm{FeSO}_{4}(\mathrm{aq})+\mathrm{Cu}(\mathrm{s})\)

Uses of Copper

1. They are used in Electrical Appliances – As copper is an excellent conductor of electricity and has low resistivity. Silver is another metal that is an excellent conductor of electricity, even better than copper. Its affordable price makes it widely used worldwide in power generation, power transmission, telecommunications, electronics circuits, making electric wires, cables, etc.

2. Used in making Utensils – Due to high thermal conductivity, high melting point and boiling point, and high ductility, copper is extensively used in making utensils of various shapes and sizes. Like other metals, copper vessels conduct heat readily to the food kept in and cooks them fast.

3. Copper is also used in heat exchangers in air conditioners, heat sinks in computers, vehicle radiators, heat sealing machines, and televisions, as this metal is a good conductor of heat.

4. Copper is very useful in plumbing pipework and joining busbars, which are vital elements of power distribution systems because it can be readily joined by soldering, bolting or adhesives. 

5. Copper is one of the essential nutrients for the human body. It enables the formation of red blood cells in the body along with iron. Sufficient copper in the diet is very important as it helps to maintain healthy bones, blood vessels, nerves, and the immune system. Copper helps to prevent cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis. Copper is rich in shellfish, nuts and seeds, wheat-bran cereals, whole-grain products, chocolate, meat, etc.

6. Copper is also used in making sculptures and statues because of its ease of joining. It is also used by jewellers and other artisans.

7. Copper is extensively used in automobiles as a high-purity copper wire that carries current from the vehicle battery throughout the vehicle to equipment such as lights, central locking, digital screen, and satellite navigation systems. It is also used in electric vehicles.

8. Copper is also used in pipework. It is used to transport water for domestic purposes; it is also used to convey natural gas to homes and other places wherever required.

9. Various alloys of copper are made, such as Bronze (copper and tin), Brass (copper and zinc), Nickel Silver (copper, zinc, and nickel). These alloys are stronger and corrosion-resistant than copper metal.

Summary

In a nutshell, copper is a metal represented as ‘\({\rm{Cu}}\)’. It is a transition metal as it is present in the \({\rm{d}}\)-block of the periodic table. The atomic number of \({\rm{Cu}}\) is \(29\). It has a characteristic reddish-brown appearance and is extracted from its ore ‘Cuprite’, which is mostly found in South America. Copper mines are also present in some parts of India like Jharkhand, Rajasthan, etc. Since ancient times, copper has been essential for various living activities.

It is a good conductor of electricity thus is mostly used in making electric wires, apart from copper. Silver is another metal that is an excellent conductor of electricity, but copper is cheaper than silver, so it is used to make electric wires. Copper delivers electricity and clean water into our homes and cities and plays an important role in attaining sustainable development. More than that, it is essential for life itself as our body needs traces of copper as minerals to survive. 

FAQs on Chemical Formula for Copper

Q.1. What is the chemical formula of copper?
Ans: Copper is an element; it is a metal. So, instead of a chemical formula, it has a symbol. The symbol of copper is ‘\({\rm{Cu}}\)’ It is present in group \(11\) and period \(4\) of the Modern Periodic Table. Its atomic number is \(29\), and its electronic configuration is \([\mathrm{Ar}] 3 d^{10} 4 s^{1}\)

Q.2. Where is the copper chemical name derived from?
Ans: Chemically, copper is represented as ‘\({\rm{Cu}}\)’ Its symbol is derived from the Latin word cuprum for Cyprus, the island where the Romans first obtained copper. Thus, the symbol \({\rm{‘Cu’}}\) comes from the first two letters of the cuprum itself.

Q.3. What is Copper?
Ans: Copper is a metal present in the d-block of the periodic table. The atomic number of \({\rm{Cu}}\) is \(29\). It has a characteristic reddish-brown appearance and is extracted from its ore ‘Cuprite.’ Copper is a highly malleable and ductile metal. Also, it is an excellent conductor of electricity and heat. Due to these unique properties, copper is extensively used in manufacturing electric wires and utensils. It is used in various aspects of life and has an ancient history. Copper is also known as ‘coinage metal’ because in ancient days, copper coins were used by humans.

Q.4. What are the two chemical properties of copper?
Ans: The two chemical properties of copper are: (i) Copper reacts with oxygen in the air to form copper (II) oxide. (ii) Copper gets tarnished to blue-green colour forming copper hydroxide and copper carbonate.

Q.5. What is copper made from?
Ans: Copper is an element. It is a natural resource found in the form of its ores known as cuprite found deep inside the earth. After mining, copper is processed through several cleaning and refining steps to get around \(99.9%\) pure metal.

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