Answer to Question #182915 in Inorganic Chemistry for noor alsaadi

Question

 Explain how increasing the concentration of the hydrochloric acid affects the rate of the reaction with magnesium.

Answer 1

50 cm3 of 1M hydrochloric acid is a six-fold excess of acid. In this reaction, the magnesium and acid are gradually used up. However the acid is in excess, so it is mainly the loss of magnesium (surface area becomes smaller) that causes the change in the rate.