Metals & Non-metals

Reaction of metals with acids

What happens when Metals react with Acids?

When metal reacts with dilute acid, respective salt and hydrogen gas are formed.

Metal + Dilute Acid → Salt + Hydrogen

But all metals do not react in the same manner and not produce salt and hydrogen gas. For example copper does not react with dilute acid.

Reaction of sodium with dilute acid

Reaction of sodium with dilute hydrochloric acid

Sodium metal gives sodium chloride and hydrogen gas when reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid.

Reaction of sodium with dilute sulphuric acid

When sodium metal reacts with dilute sulphuric acid, sodium sulphate and hydrogen gas are formed.

Reaction of potassium metal with dilute acid

Reaction of potassium with dilute hydrochloric acid

When potassium metal reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid, potassium chloride and hydrogen are formed.

Reaction of potassium with dilute sulphuric acid

When potassium metal reacts with dilute sulphuric acid, potassium sulphate and hydrogen gas are formed.

Sodium and potassium metal react with dilute acid vigorously. This reaction is highly exothermic. So, do not perform such reaction in laboratory. This may leads to an accident.

Reaction of Magnesium metal with dilute acid

Reaction of magnesium with dilute hydrochloric acid

When magnesium reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid, magnesium chloride and hydrogen gas are formed.

Reaction of magnesium with dilute sulphuric acid

Similarly, when magnesium reacts with sulphuric acid, magnesium sulphate and hydrogen gas are formed.

Reaction of Aluminium with dilute acid

Reaction of aluminium with dilute hydrochloric acid

When aluminium reacts with hydrochloric acid, it gives aluminium chloride and hydrogen gas.

Reaction of aluminium with dilute sulphuric acid

Similarly, aluminium gives aluminium sulphate and hydrogen gas when reacts with sulphuric acid.

Reaction of zinc with dilute acid

Reaction of zinc with dilute hydrochloric acid

Zinc metal gives zinc chloride and hydrogen gas when reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid.

Reaction of zinc with dilute sulphuric acid

Similarly, zinc metal gives zinc sulphate and hydrogen gas when reacts with dilute sulphuric acid.

Reaction of iron with dilute acid

Reaction of iron metal with dilute hydrochloric acid

Iron gives iron (II) chloride and hydrogen gas after reaction with dilute hydrochloric acid.

Reaction of iron metal with dilute sulphuric acid

Similarly, iron gives iron sulphate and hydrogen gas when reacts with dilute sulphuric acid.

Reaction of metals with nitric acid

Metals react with nitric acid with another way. Nitric acid which is a strong oxidizing agent, oxidizes hydrogen produced in reaction to water and nitric acid itself is reduced to any of the nitrogen oxide [N₂O (Nitrous oxide), NO (Nitric oxide) or NO₂ (Nitrogen dioxide)].

Whereas magnesium and manganese reacts with dilute nitric acid and gives respective salt and hydrogen gas.

Reaction of Magnesium with dilute nitric acid

Magnesium produces magnesium nitrate and hydrogen gas when reacts with very dilute nitric acid.

Reaction of Manganese with dilute nitric acid

Manganese gives manganese nitrate and hydrogen gas when reacts with very dilute nitric acid.

Reaction of zinc metal with dilute nitric acid

When zinc reacts with very dilute nitric acid, it gives zinc nitrate and hydrogen gas.

Reaction of zinc and aluminium with concentrated nitric acid

Zinc and aluminium do not react with concentrated nitric acid, because while reaction a thick layer of their oxides is built which is hard to dissolve. This layer of oxide stops the further reaction.

Reaction of Copper with dilute nitric acid

But, when copper reacts with dilute nitric acid it gives copper nitrate water and nitrogen dioxide gas.

Hydrogen gas produced in reaction is oxidized to water by nitric acid, and nitric acid itself is reduced to nitrogen dioxide.