Acid and Metal Reactions Worksheet — Chemistry for Grades 8–10 (Ages 13–16)

Instructions

When a reactive metal is added to an acid, a chemical reaction occurs. The general word equation for this reaction is: Metal + Acid → Salt + Hydrogen Gas. The 'salt' is an ionic compound formed from the metal and the non-metal part of the acid. Complete the exercises below to practice your understanding of these reactions.

Part 1: Identify the Parts

For each word equation, identify the metal, the acid, and the salt produced.

1. Sulfuric acid + Zinc → Zinc sulfate + Hydrogen

   • Metal: ____________________
   • Acid: ____________________
   • Salt: ____________________

2. Hydrochloric acid + Magnesium → Magnesium chloride + Hydrogen

   • Metal: ____________________
   • Acid: ____________________
   • Salt: ____________________

3. Nitric acid + Calcium → Calcium nitrate + Hydrogen

   • Metal: ____________________
   • Acid: ____________________
   • Salt: ____________________

Part 2: Complete the Word Equations

Complete the following word equations by writing the correct names for the products.

1. Hydrochloric acid + Lithium → ____________________ + ____________________


2. Sulfuric acid + Iron → ____________________ + ____________________


3. Nitric acid + Magnesium → ____________________ + ____________________


4. Hydrochloric acid + Zinc → ____________________ + ____________________

Part 3: Balancing Chemical Equations

Write the correct products and balance the following chemical equations. Remember that hydrogen gas is a diatomic molecule (Hâ‚‚).

1. ___ HCl +    Mg   â†’   ____________________ + ____________________




2. ___ Hâ‚‚SOâ‚„ +    Al   â†’   ____________________ + ____________________




3. ___ HCl +    Zn   â†’   ____________________ + ____________________

Part 4: Short Answer Questions

Answer the following questions in the space provided.

1. What is the name of the gas that is always produced when a reactive metal reacts with an acid?
   ________________________________________________________________


2. Describe the simple laboratory test used to identify this gas.
   ________________________________________________________________
   ________________________________________________________________


3. Some metals, like gold and copper, are very unreactive. What would you expect to observe if you added a piece of copper to a beaker of dilute hydrochloric acid? Explain why.
   ________________________________________________________________
   ________________________________________________________________

Answer Key

Part 1: Identify the Parts

1. • Metal: Zinc
   • Acid: Sulfuric acid
   • Salt: Zinc sulfate
2. • Metal: Magnesium
   • Acid: Hydrochloric acid
   • Salt: Magnesium chloride
3. • Metal: Calcium
   • Acid: Nitric acid
   • Salt: Calcium nitrate

Part 2: Complete the Word Equations

1. Hydrochloric acid + Lithium → Lithium chloride + Hydrogen
2. Sulfuric acid + Iron → Iron sulfate + Hydrogen
3. Nitric acid + Magnesium → Magnesium nitrate + Hydrogen
4. Hydrochloric acid + Zinc → Zinc chloride + Hydrogen

Part 3: Balancing Chemical Equations

1. 2 HCl + Mg → MgCl₂ + H₂
2. 3 H₂SO₄ + 2 Al → Al₂(SO₄)₃ + 3 H₂
3. 2 HCl + Zn → ZnCl₂ + H₂

Part 4: Short Answer Questions

1. Hydrogen gas.
2. The 'squeaky pop' test. Collect the gas in a test tube and place a lit splint at the mouth of the tube. If hydrogen is present, it will ignite with a characteristic 'squeaky pop' sound.
3. You would observe nothing / no reaction. Copper is less reactive than hydrogen, so it cannot displace hydrogen from the acid to cause a reaction.