3.52. Properties of Acids http://www.ck12.org
Properties of Acids
You already know that a sour taste is one property of acids. (Warning:Nevertaste an unknown substance to see
whether it is an acid!) Acids have certain other properties as well. For example, acids can conduct electricity
when dissolved in water because they consist of charged particles in solution. (Electric current is a flow of charged
particles.) Acids can also react with metals, and when they do they produce hydrogen gas. An example of this type
of reaction is hydrochloric acid reacting with the metal zinc (Zn). The reaction is pictured in theFigure3.96. It can
be represented by the chemical equation:
Zn + 2HCl→H 2 + ZnCl 2FIGURE 3.96
Hydrochloric acid reacting with the metal
zinc.Q:What sign indicates that a gas is being produced in this reaction?
A:The bubbles are hydrogen gas rising through the acid.
Q:Besides hydrogen gas, what else is produced in this reaction?
A:This reaction also produces zinc chloride ZnCl 2 , which is a neutral ionic compound called a salt.
You can see an online demonstration of another acid-metal reaction at this URL: http://www.youtube.com/watch
?v=oQz5YEsx7Fo
MEDIA
Click image to the left for use the URL below.
URL: http://www.ck12.org/flx/render/embeddedobject/82383