Copper(II) carbonate decomposes when heated to form copper(II) oxide and carbon dioxide. The equation for the reaction is:
CuCO3(s)→CuO(s)+CO2(g) \text{CuCO}_3(\text{s}) \rightarrow \text{CuO}(\text{s}) + \text{CO}_2(\text{g}) CuCO3(s)→CuO(s)+CO2(g)A student uses this method to investigate the reaction:
The student performs the experiment four times (Trial 1 to Trial 4). The table below shows the results:
| Mass measurements (in g\text{g}g) | Trial 1 | Trial 2 | Trial 3 | Trial 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mass of empty crucible | 20.15 | 18.90 | 20.35 | 19.72 |
| Mass of crucible and copper(II) carbonate before heating | 24.55 | 22.80 | 25.10 | 23.95 |
| Mass of crucible and contents after heating for 4 minutes | 23.10 | 21.60 | 23.40 | 22.71 |
| Mass of crucible and contents after heating for a total of 8 minutes | 22.95 | 21.42 | 22.90 | 22.45 |
| Mass of crucible and contents after heating for a total of 12 minutes | 22.95 | 21.42 | 22.55 | 22.45 |
State why the mass of the crucible and contents decreases during heating.
State the reason for Step 6.
Explain in which trial the student should have heated for a fourth period of four minutes.