Answer to Question #289581 in General Chemistry for Preston

Question

Zn(s) + 2HCI(aq) > ZnCI2(aq) + H2(g)

Answer 1

Zn(s) + 2HCI(aq) > ZnCI₂(aq) + H₂(g)

Type of response: Substitution

Zn(s) with a neutral charge is oxidized and in the process loses two electrons to form ZnCl2(aq), where Zn has a 2+ charge.

Zinc restores hydrogen from acids; in the series of voltages, it is located to the left of hydrogen.

Zn (charge 0) + 2H (charge +) + 2Cl (charge -) = Zn (charge +2) + 2Cl (charge -)+ 2H (charge 0) - full Zn HCl ionic reaction equation. Zn + 2H(+) = Zn(2+) +H2 - (reduced ionic reaction equation).

In this case, H2 is the oxidizing agent because the hydrogen s.o. before the reaction started was "+" and after it became "0". It participated in the reduction process by giving up 2 electrons. Zn is a reducing agent, it participates in oxidation by taking 2 electrons, increasing the s.o. (oxidation degree). It is also a substitution reaction. It involved 2 substances, the simple Zn and the complex HCl. The reaction produced 2 new substances, as well as one simple - H2 and one complex - ZnCl2. Since Zn is located in the row of metal activity before H2, it displaced it from the substance that reacted with it.