Zinc (Zn) is a chemical element that belongs to the group of alkaline earth metals. In the periodic table, Mendeleev is located at number 30, which means that the charge of the nucleus of the atom, the number of electrons and protons is also 30. Zinc is in the secondary group II of period IV. By the group number, you can determine the number of atoms that are at its valence or external energy level - respectively, 2.
Zinc as a typical alkali metal
Zinc is a typical representative of metals, in a normal state it has a bluish-gray color, is easily oxidized in air, acquiring an oxide film (ZnO) on the surface.
As a typical amphoteric metal, zinc interacts with atmospheric oxygen: 2Zn + O2 = 2ZnO - without temperature, with the formation of an oxide film. When heated, a white powder forms.
The oxide itself reacts with acids to form salt and water:
2ZnO + 2HCl = ZnCl2 + H2O.
With acid solutions. If zinc is of normal purity, then the reaction equation for HCl Zn is lower.
Zn + 2HCl = ZnCl2 + H2 ↑ - molecular equation of the reaction.
Zn (charge 0) + 2H (charge +) + 2Cl (charge -) = Zn (charge +2) + 2Cl (charge -) + 2H (charge 0) is the complete Zn HCl ionic equation of the reaction.
Zn + 2H (+) = Zn (2+) + H2 - S.I. (abbreviated ionic reaction equation).
The reaction of zinc with hydrochloric acid
This equation of reaction of HCl Zn belongs to the type of redox. This can be proved by the fact that in Zn and H2 the charge changed during the reaction, a qualitative manifestation of the reaction was observed, and the presence of an oxidizing agent and a reducing agent was also observed.
In this case, H2 is an oxidizing agent, since about. hydrogen before the reaction was "+", and after it became "0". He participated in the recovery process, giving back 2 electrons.
Zn is a reducing agent, it participates in oxidation, taking 2 electrons, increasing the so. (oxidation state).
It is also a substitution reaction. In the course of it, 2 substances participated, simple Zn and complex - HCl. As a result of the reaction, 2 new substances were formed, as well as one simple - H2 and one complex - ZnCl2. Since Zn is located in a series of metal activity up to H2, it displaced it from the substance that reacted with it.