Final answer:
The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between zinc metal and hydrochloric acid is Zn (s) + 2HCl (aq) → ZnCl₂ (aq) + H₂ (g).
Step-by-step explanation:
The balanced chemical equation for the reaction between zinc metal and hydrochloric acid is:
Zn (s) + 2HCl (aq) → ZnCl₂ (aq) + H₂ (g)
In this reaction, zinc (Zn) reacts with hydrochloric acid (HCl) to form zinc chloride (ZnCl₂) and hydrogen gas (H₂). The coefficient in front of the HCl indicates that two moles of HCl are required for every mole of zinc (Zn) to react.