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Why does metal and acid react?

Answer:
Acids always contain hydrogen (H), eg:

Sulphuric acid - H2SO4

Nitric acid - HNO3

Hydrochloric acid - HCl

The hydrogen wants to cling to the other "bit" in the acid like the SO4 or the NO3 or the Cl. However the metal comes along and is more reactive than the hydrogen. The metal also wants the SO4 or the NO3 or the Cl and being more reactive it gets what it wants. It kicks the hyrogen out of the way and forms a salt, (eg: magnesium chloride, iron sulphate, potassium nitrate) and the hydrogen ends up on its own (H2)

For example, this is a word equation:

Magnesium + Hydrochloric acid ----> Magnesium chloride + Hydrogen

And the balanced symbol equation:

2Mg + 2HCl ---> 2MgCl + H2

First answer by Okm. Last edit by Okm. Contributor trust: 6 [recommend contributor recommended]. Question popularity: 1 [recommend question].

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