when copper oxide is dissolved in vinegar does it release copper oxide gas [closed]








**Closed**. This question needs [details or clarity](/help/closed-questions). It is not currently accepting answers.
 
 






---








**Want to improve this question?** Add details and clarify the problem by [editing this post](/posts/156058/edit).




Closed 2 years ago.








[Improve this question](/posts/156058/edit) 



i was cleaning my pennies in a bowl of vinegar and table salt and was wondering when the copper oxide on the pennies dissolves does it release copper oxide gas or a gas i should be worried about. I was sitting outside with a fan on above me but i was worried that when i leaned over the bowl i might have inhaled somthing harmful. I tried to look up what happens but i could not find anything that states what happens to the copper oxide when its "dissolved".




The best defence against the fear of unknown is obtaining knowledge about it. If you studied basics of copper chemistry, you would realize that copper oxide is not a gas and that there is no easy way to obtain a volatile copper compound.


The only potentially dangerous gas there is vapor of acetic acid, natural and essential part of vinegar, with low enough concentration to be safe(\*).


Insoluble solid copper oxide (possibly together with basic copper carbonates) gets transformed to blue solution of non volatile copper acetate.


$$\ce{CuO(s) + 2 CH3COOH(aq) -> (CH3COO)2Cu(aq) + H2O(l)}$$


$$\ce{CuCO3.Cu(OH)2(s) + 4 CH3COOH(aq) -> 2 (CH3COO)2Cu(aq) + 3 H2O(l) + CO2(g)}$$




---


(\*) If you ever sniffed vapor over pure acetic acid, the perception would be very unpleasant and your nasal mucous membrane would be for some time very unhappy.


 4