Acid + metal
Acid + a suitable metal → salt + hydrogen. Magnesium, zinc and iron react with dilute hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. Copper does not react with these dilute acids. Hydrogen makes a squeaky pop with a lit splint.
Lesson 4.5 · AQA Combined Science
Acids, metals and salt names
Build the salt name
The metal gives the first word; the acid gives the ending. Magnesium + hydrochloric acid → magnesium chloride + hydrogen. Zinc + sulfuric acid → zinc sulfate + hydrogen.
Use a balanced example
Mg + 2HCl → MgCl₂ + H₂. Magnesium gets smaller and bubbles form. Do not change formula subscripts when balancing. Nitric acid makes nitrates in reactions with bases; do not apply the simple hydrogen rule to nitric acid and metals.
Remember
Suitable metal + acid → salt + hydrogen. Hydrochloric makes chlorides; sulfuric makes sulfates.
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