We did two experiments with the same piece of copper. First we heated it to get copper oxide. Then we heated it in dilute sulfuric acid. My teacher says the chemical equation was Cu + H2SO4 - - - CuSO4 + H2 but I looked it up on the internet and it had CuO + H2SO4 - - - CuSO4 + H2O... Which one is right?

Cu + H2SO4 - - - CuSO4 + H2
---------------------------------------------------Ask you teacher where the oxygen went.

I assume you began this experiment by heating pure copper in a crucible to get copper oxide. Then..

CuO + H2SO4 --> CuSO4 + H2O
---------------------------------------------------I do not see how anything but this equation could be right if CuO was added to dilute sulfuric acid, though I seem to remember that copper itself does not react well with dilute sulfuric acid.

So, I think you are correct here and teachers do make mistakes.

[QUOTE=neodarwinian;3509998]Cu + H2SO4 - - - CuSO4 + H2
---------------------------------------------------Ask you teacher where the oxygen went.

I assume you began this experiment by heating pure copper in a crucible to get copper oxide. Then..

CuO + H2SO4 --> CuSO4 + H2O
---------------------------------------------------I do not see how anything but this equation could be right if CuO was added to dilute sulfuric acid, though I seem to remember that copper itself does not react well with dilute sulfuric acid.

So, I think you are correct here and teachers do make mistakes
I think it makes water not hydrogen

[QUOTE=neodarwinian;3509998]Cu + H2SO4 - - - CuSO4 + H2
---------------------------------------------------Ask you teacher where the oxygen went.

I assume you began this experiment by heating pure copper in a crucible to get copper oxide. Then....,

CuO + H2SO4 --> CuSO4 + H2O
---------------------------------------------------I do not see how anything but this equation could be right if CuO was added to dilute sulfuric acid, though I seem to remember that copper itself does not react well with dilute sulfuric acid.

So, I think you arent correct here and teachers do make mistakes
I think it makes water not hydrogen