QUESTION IMAGE
Question
what is the balanced chemical reaction occurring when aluminum is added to sulfuric acid? partial activity series k ca mg al zn fe ni pb h cu ag f₂ cl₂ br₂ i₂ 2al + 3h₂so₄ → al₂(so₄)₃ + 3h₂ 2al + 3h₂so₄ → 2alh₃ + 3so₂ + 3o₂ 2al + 3h₂so₄ → al₂(so₄)₃ + 6h no reaction occurs.
- First, check the activity series: Al is above H, so Al can displace H from sulfuric acid (\(H_2SO_4\)). The reaction is a single - displacement reaction (metal + acid → salt + hydrogen gas).
- For the reaction \(2Al + 3H_2SO_4
ightarrow Al_2(SO_4)_3+3H_2\):
- Let's check the number of atoms on each side.
- Aluminum (Al): On the left - hand side (LHS), we have 2 Al atoms. On the right - hand side (RHS), in \(Al_2(SO_4)_3\), we have 2 Al atoms. So Al is balanced.
- Sulfur (S): On LHS, in \(3H_2SO_4\), we have \(3\times1 = 3\) S atoms. On RHS, in \(Al_2(SO_4)_3\), we have 3 S atoms. So S is balanced.
- Oxygen (O): On LHS, in \(3H_2SO_4\), we have \(3\times4=12\) O atoms. On RHS, in \(Al_2(SO_4)_3\), we have \(3\times4 = 12\) O atoms. So O is balanced.
- Hydrogen (H): On LHS, in \(3H_2SO_4\), we have \(3\times2 = 6\) H atoms. On RHS, in \(3H_2\), we have \(3\times2=6\) H atoms. So H is balanced.
- For the reaction \(2Al + 3H_2SO_4
ightarrow2AlH_3 + 3SO_2+3O_2\): This reaction is incorrect because the reaction of a metal with an acid (especially a strong acid like \(H_2SO_4\)) does not produce \(AlH_3\), \(SO_2\), and \(O_2\) in this way. The expected products are a salt and hydrogen gas.
- For the reaction \(2Al + 3H_2SO_4
ightarrow Al_2(SO_4)_3+6H\): Atomic hydrogen (H) is not the product of the reaction between a metal and an acid. The product should be diatomic hydrogen gas (\(H_2\)).
- Since Al is above H in the activity series, a reaction should occur, so the option "No reaction occurs" is incorrect.
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A. \(2Al + 3H_2SO_4
ightarrow Al_2(SO_4)_3+3H_2\)