Reaction Between Hydrochloric Acid and Magnesium

Reaction Between Hydrochloric Acid and Magnesium Introduction

In the reaction between hydrochloric acid and magnesium, the

hydrochloric acid will dissolve the magnesium and produce hydrogen

gas.

All chemical reactions involve reactants which when mixed may cause a

chemical reaction which will make products.

In my case the reactants are hydrochloric acid and magnesium ribbon.

The chemical reaction takes place when the magnesium ribbon is dropped

into the hydrochloric acid. The products that are formed during this

reaction are hydrogen gas and magnesium chloride. The formula equation

for this experiment is:

Mg + 2HCl (r) MgCl2 + H2

Magnesium + Hydrochloric acid (r) Magnesium Chloride + Hydrogen

(s) (Aq) (aq) (g)

Magnesium will react with hydrochloric acid, because it is higher in

the reactivity series that hydrogen. When the two chemicals react a

displacement reaction will take place and the magnesium will displace

the hydrogen in the hydrochloric acid forming magnesium chloride and

hydrogen gas.

Reactivity Series

K (potassium)

Na (sodium

Li (lithium) all too dangerous to react with a strong acid

Ba (barium)

Ca (Calcium)

Mg (magnesium) -

Al (aluminium) manageable metals

Zn (zinc) these metals will react with hydrochloric acid as they

Fe (iron) they are higher in the reactivity series than hydrogen

Sn (tin) and so a displacement reaction will take place

Pb (lead) ¯

H (hydrogen)

Cu (copper)

Hg (mercury) none of these metals will react with hydrochloric

Ag (silver...

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...constantly changing

during the reaction because as time goes on there are fewer acid

molecules. There are fewer acid molecules because when the acid reacts

the same particle cannot react again, so there are less to end with

than there are to start with. As time goes on the number of acid

particle decrease so there is less chance of a successful reaction to

take place.

Before I started the experiment I made up a prediction. I predicted

that the more concentrated the acid solution the faster the magnesium

and hydrochloric acid will react. I thought that this would happen

because when there are more acid particles in the test tube the more

chance there is of a successful collision. I was right in my

prediction but I did not predict that the rate of reaction slows down

as time goes on which did happen in my experiment.