 Quote by Kushal
i guess this is what happens....
the Cu++ is reduced by zinc to Cu and the zinc is oxidised to Zn++.
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This do really happens, and quite fast, even without HCl, in water, so it's certainly one of the possible reactions.
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the Zn++ reacts with the Cl-.
the Cu is then oxidised back to Cu++ by H+ which gets reduced to H2
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Zn++ don't react with Cl- in water solution, and Cu cannot be oxidated from H+ in the absence of strong complexants of Cu++. Don't know what really happens but that explanation is not correct.
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overall reaction: Zn + 2HCl -----> ZnCl2 + H2
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Certainly.
To flumbie: are you sure it was Zn, HCl and CuSO4?