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Year 9

Chemical reactions: acid and metal

I can describe what happens when an acid reacts with a metal and write word and symbol equations for these reactions.

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New
New
Year 9

Chemical reactions: acid and metal

I can describe what happens when an acid reacts with a metal and write word and symbol equations for these reactions.

Download all resources
Share activities with pupils

Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. When a metal reacts with acid bubbles may form, it is exothermic and the metal reduces in size (disappears).
  2. Different metals have varying reactivity with acids.
  3. When a metal reacts with an acid, the products are a metal salt and hydrogen gas.
  4. The word equation for a metal and acid reaction is: metal + acid → metal salt + hydrogen
  5. The test for hydrogen gas is to introduce a lit splint, which will make a squeaky pop in hydrogen.

Common misconception

Pupils can expect that all reactions will be vigorous and they will see lots of bubbles being formed instantly.

Get pupils to leave and observe their metal + acid reactions over a period of time, e.g. 5 minutes. This will ensure that they will be able to observe bubbles forming more slowly for metals such as iron or zinc.

Keywords

  • Effervescence - when bubbles of gas are produced in a liquid; another way of saying a liquid is fizzing

  • Corrosion - when a metal reduces in size due to a chemical reaction

  • Chemical test - when a chemical reaction is carried out to determine the presence of a substance

  • Acid - a solution that has a pH of less than 7

  • Metal salt - a compound comprising of a metal and a non-metal

Remind students that hydrogen is less dense than air, so they need to keep the test tube upside down or the hydrogen gas will escape and the chemical test will not result in a squeaky pop. Also, the size of the metal pieces will affect the rate of the reaction and this will need to be discussed.
Teacher tip

Equipment

Test tubes, test tube rack, pipette, metals (e.g. magnesium, zinc, copper, iron), acid, Bunsen burner, splints.

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - equipment

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2024), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

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Starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the following key terms to the correct description.
Correct Answer:pestle and mortar,Tools used to crush and grind substances.

Tools used to crush and grind substances.

Correct Answer:pH scale,A scale from 1 - 14 which measures acidity or alkalinity of solutions.

A scale from 1 - 14 which measures acidity or alkalinity of solutions.

Correct Answer:acid,A solution with a pH of less than 7.

A solution with a pH of less than 7.

Correct Answer:base,A substance which reacts with an acid to form a salt and water.

A substance which reacts with an acid to form a salt and water.

Correct Answer:solution,This forms when a substance dissolves in a liquid.

This forms when a substance dissolves in a liquid.

Correct Answer:alkali,A soluble substance with a pH greater than 7.

A soluble substance with a pH greater than 7.

Q2.
Which of the following describes what universal indicator is?
Correct answer: Paper that turns different colours depending on the pH of the solution.
Correct answer: A solution that turns different colours depending on the pH of the solution.
Paper that turns red or blue to indicate if a solution is acid or alkaline.
A solution that turns cloudy when carbon dioxide is present.
Q3.
Where are metals found in the periodic table?
Correct answer: on the left hand side
on the right hand side
at the bottom
at the top
all over
Q4.
Match the chemical symbols to the correct metal.
Correct Answer:zinc,Zn

Zn

Correct Answer:magnesium,Mg

Mg

Correct Answer:copper,Cu

Cu

Correct Answer:calcium,Ca

Ca

Correct Answer:lead,Pb

Pb

Correct Answer:iron,Fe

Fe

Q5.
Which types of atom are found in nitric acid (HNO₃)?
Correct answer: hydrogen
chlorine
Correct answer: nitrogen
Correct answer: oxygen
Q6.
Which types of atom are found in sulfuric acid (H₂SO₄)?
Correct answer: sulfur
Correct answer: hydrogen
Correct answer: oxygen
sulfur dioxide

Exit quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
A pupil wants to test the gas that was released when zinc reacted with sulfuric acid. Which of the following tests would show that this gas was hydrogen?
Place a glowing splint into the gas and see if it relights.
Bubble the gas through limewater solution and see if it turns cloudy.
Correct answer: Place a lit splint into the gas and see if it makes a squeaky pop sound.
Q2.
Most metals corrode when they react with an acid. What does the word 'corrode' mean in this context?
Correct answer: The metal will reduce in size when it reacts with an acid.
The metal will increase in size when it reacts with an acid.
The acid will eat away at the metal.
The metal will dissolve into the acid.
Q3.
Complete the word equation for the following reaction: magnesium + hydrochloric acid → + hydrogen.
Correct Answer: magnesium chloride
Q4.
Which of the following salts is produced when hydrochloric acid reacts with zinc?
zinc hydride
zinc chlorine
Correct answer: zinc chloride
zinc chloric
zinc hydroxide
Q5.
A pupil wrote the following sentence: "When a metal reacts, it forms salt and a gas." Choose a more accurate sentence from the list.
Correct answer: When a metal reacts with an acid, it forms a metal salt and hydrogen.
When a metal reacts, it forms bubbles and salt.
When a metal reacts with an acid, it forms a non–metal.
When a metal reacts with an acid, it forms hydrogen gas.
Q6.
Which is the correct symbol equation for the reaction between zinc and sulfuric acid?
Zn + HNO₃ → ZnSO₄ + H₂
Correct answer: Zn + H₂SO₄ → ZnSO₄ + H₂
ZN + H₂SO₄ → ZNSO₄ + H₂
Zn + H₂SO₄ → ZnCl₂ + H₂

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