Questions on HCl and H2SO4 reactions

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the reactions involving hydrochloric acid (HCl) and sulfuric acid (H2SO4), particularly focusing on their interactions with copper sulfate (CuSO4) and metal carbonates. Participants explore the correctness of proposed chemical equations and the nature of the reactions, including solubility and color changes in solutions.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions the reaction CuSO4 + 2HCl --> CuCl2 + H2SO4, expressing doubt about the formation of sulfuric acid as a product.
  • Another participant confirms that copper sulfate can form copper chloride but notes that all products remain in solution, leading to no net ionic reaction.
  • There is a discussion about the typical reaction of sulfuric acid with metal carbonates, with one participant suggesting that the reaction H2SO4 + CuCO3 --> CuSO4 + CO2 + H2O is correct.
  • Participants mention observing color changes in solutions, specifically that CuSO4 is blue and CuCl2 can appear green under certain conditions.
  • One participant shares a personal experiment involving sodium chloride and copper sulfate, noting a color change from blue to green and back, as well as the formation of a precipitate.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the correctness of the proposed chemical equations and the nature of the reactions. There is no consensus on the validity of the reactions or the formation of sulfuric acid in the first equation.

Contextual Notes

Some participants rely on personal experimentation and observations, which may not provide definitive conclusions about the reactions discussed. The discussion includes assumptions about solubility and the behavior of solutions that remain unresolved.

The P-manator
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I am learning, on my own, with the help of textbooks kindly given to me at Christmas by my grandfather and my own experimenting, some more advanced chemistry than what I studied in Grade Seven. Partly as preparation for High School, and partly for my own knowledge. However, I ran across some reactions that need clarifying.

Through frequent observation, I noticed that HCl likes to form chlorides. So is this equation correct?

CuSO4 + 2HCl --> CuCl2 + H2SO4

Although I found it unlikely that it would form sulphuric acid, I could not find another spot to put the SO4, which I know cannot exist as a free compound.

The second puzzlement in my going-ons was that sulphuric acid usually reacts with metal carbonates to form sulphates, am I not correct? For example, they usually ended up something like this, right:

H2SO4 + CuCO3 --> CuSO4 + CO2 + H2O

Originally I found some weird ionic compound but then I realized that this broken down form would work better. However, until I do it, I have no way to prove that metal carbonates react in this way with sulphuric acid.
 
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i answered this on the other website for you
 
rctrackstar2007 said:
i answered this on the other website for you
as did I, although i forgot to say that you are taking the initiative to learn this on your own, especially as a 7th grader. High School chemistry is going to be so insanely easy for you if you keep this up.
 
syko sykes said:
High School chemistry is going to be so insanely easy for you if you keep this up.
And boring, not to mention agrivating.


In this reaction,
CuSO4 + 2HCl --> CuCl2 + H2SO4
Yes, The Copper sulfate will form Copper Chloride, but since everything on the products is very soluble in water, it all stays in solution and there is no net ionic reaction.
You can tell a reaction occurs, kind of, by noticing a slight color change in the solution. The CuSO4 solution is very blue, as is dillute CuCl2 solutions, but if you do manage to get any CuCl2 to somewhat precipitate a little, you can see it turn green.
This reaction can be done "virtually" online at this web site,
http://neon.chem.ox.ac.uk/vrchemistry/LiveChem/transitionmetals_content.html
just select Cu+2 from the top reactant and concentrate HCl from the bottom reactant and hit the play button.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
How did they get it to turn so green? What's your name, rctrackstar?
 
The P-manator said:
How did they get it to turn so green?
I suspect they used extemely concentrated solutions of CuSO4 and HCl.

I did this reaction a while back by adding Sodium Chloride (NaCl) to a CuSO4 solution, as the NaCl dissolved, the solution around it turned green and then back to blue. After cooling the solution in a freezer (it did not freeze), I obtained a very small amount of green precipitate which easily went back into a blue solution by allowing the temperature to rise.
 

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