Question

For the reactions between HCl and copper, describe the initial appearance of the metal and identify the evidence of a chemical reaction. If a reaction occurred, balance the chemical equation by filling in all coefficients, including coefficients of 1. If no reaction was detected for the metal, delete the products and write NR.

Answer 1

Copper does not react with hydrochloric acid; hence, no chemical reaction or equation to balance. However, copper does react with other chemicals such as silver nitrate and nitric acid, and can be displaced in reactions with more reactive metals like zinc and iron.

Step-by-step explanation:

Reactions of Copper with Different Chemicals

When examining reactions of copper with different chemicals, it's important to note that copper doesn't react with dilute hydrochloric acid (HCl) under normal conditions. Copper is a less reactive metal and won't displace hydrogen from hydrochloric acid. However, copper does participate in other reactions. For instance:

• Copper and Silver Nitrate (Cu + AgNO3): When copper reacts with silver nitrate, the solution becomes bluish due to formation of copper(II) nitrate, and silver deposits on the copper surface.
• Copper and Nitric Acid: Reaction with nitric acid yields copper(II) nitrate, nitrogen dioxide, and water. This reaction is noticeable due to the colorful mix and blue solution caused by the copper ions.
• Displacement Reactions: A more reactive metal, such as zinc or iron, can displace copper from its compound. For example, zinc reacting with copper sulfate produces copper metal and zinc sulfate.

In a test to see if a chemical reaction occurs between copper and hydrochloric acid, one would look for evidence such as gas production, color change, or formation of a precipitate. Since copper doesn't react with hydrochloric acid, there would be no reaction (NR), hence no equation to balance.