Question

(a) Write the balanced reaction between aqueous hydrochloric acid (use H+ and ignore the Cl-) and solid copper to produce copper (II) chloride and hydrogen gas. Label the oxidation numbers. (b) If one uses the activity series to predict whether an acid (H+) should dissolve/react with copper, one would correctly predict that it should not. However, it is known that nitric acid can dissolve copper. The equation for that reaction is as follows: Cu(s) + 4HNO3(aq) ---> Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2NO2(g) + 2H2O(l) Can you provide a possible explanation for why nitric acid might dissolve copper and hydrochloric acid would not?

          (a) Write the balanced reaction between aqueous hydrochloric acid (use H+ and ignore the Cl-) and solid copper to produce copper (II) chloride and hydrogen gas. Label the oxidation numbers.
(b) If one uses the activity series to predict whether an acid (H+) should dissolve/react with copper, one would correctly predict that it should not. However, it is known that nitric acid can dissolve copper. The equation for that reaction is as follows:
Cu(s) + 4HNO3(aq) ---> Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2NO2(g) + 2H2O(l)
Can you provide a possible explanation for why nitric acid might dissolve copper and hydrochloric acid would not?

Added by Bill C.

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