Q. What happens when dilute sulphuric acid is poured on zinc granules?
The given reactants are zinc and sulfuric acid. Zinc is a metal.
Hydrogen gas is produced when metal combines with acid. During this reaction, hydrogen gas and a salt are generated regardless of the type of acid or metals interacting together.
When dilute sulfuric acid is poured on zinc granules, the acid is displaced by zinc, which is more reactive than hydrogen, resulting in zinc sulfate and hydrogen gas.
The chemical reaction between sulphuric acid and zinc is as follows;
Zn + H2SO4 ZnSO4 + H2
It is a single displacement reaction of a non-metal by a metal. When zinc reacts with sulfuric acid, the resulting salt is zinc sulfate, often known as white vitriol. Zinc displaces hydrogen during the process because it is more reactive than hydrogen.
Also, when zinc reacts with sulphuric acid, the test tube in which the reaction is taking place will be hot, indicating that the temperature is rising during the reaction. Hydrogen is a flammable gas that emits a popping sound when it burns.
Therefore, zinc sulfate is formed when dilute sulfuric acid is poured on zinc granules, accompanied by the development of H2 gas.