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Reactions of dilute acids – metals, carbonates, bases and alkalis

ChemistryAcids, Bases & TitrationAges 13–14

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A virtual test-tube bench: dilute hydrochloric, sulfuric and ethanoic acid react with magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, calcium carbonate, sodium carbonate, copper(II) oxide and sodium hydroxide solution. Watch the fizzing rate, the temperature and the universal indicator colour, test the gas with a lit splint (hydrogen gives a squeaky pop) and limewater (carbon dioxide turns it milky), and test the solution with NaOH(aq) (green precipitate for Fe²⁺). Compare strong and weak acids of the same concentration on a gas-volume graph and write word and balanced symbol equations.

Lesson: Reactions of acids with metals, carbonates, bases and alkalis

What it shows

Dilute acids react in a few typical ways. With metals above hydrogen in the reactivity series they give a salt and hydrogen, which burns with a squeaky pop; copper does not react. With carbonates they give a salt, water and carbon dioxide, which turns limewater milky. With bases such as copper(II) oxide, and with alkalis such as sodium hydroxide, they give a salt and water: this is neutralisation. The salt takes its name from the metal and the acid: chlorides, sulfates and ethanoates. A weak acid such as ethanoic acid is only slightly ionised, so it reacts more slowly than a strong acid of the same concentration.

How to use

Choose the Acid, its Concentration and what to Add, then press the add button and watch the tube, the readouts and the gas-volume graph. Use the Lit splint and Limewater tests to identify the gas, and add NaOH(aq) to test the solution for metal ions. With sodium hydroxide solution, add 1 cm³ at a time and follow the indicator colour and the pH curve. Speed up time if a reaction is slow.

Parameters you can change

  • Dilute acid Hydrochloric acid HCl, Sulfuric acid H₂SO₄, Ethanoic acid CH₃COOH
  • Acid concentration 0.5–2 mol/dm³
  • Added to the acid Magnesium ribbon, Zinc granules, Iron filings, Copper turnings, Calcium carbonate (marble chips), Sodium carbonate, Copper(II) oxide (base), Sodium hydroxide solution (alkali)
  • Universal indicator in the acid

Questions to explore

  1. Why does magnesium fizz much faster in hydrochloric acid than in ethanoic acid of the same concentration?
  2. Which test shows the gas from a carbonate is carbon dioxide, and what do you see?
  3. How can you show that a solution made from iron and acid contains Fe²⁺ ions?

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