Reactions of Precious and Inactive Metals with Acids

A. Sulcius^1, , S. Gilmanshina² and R. Sagitova²

¹Kaunas University of Technology, Lithuania

²Kazan (Volga region) Federal University, Russia

Cite this paper

A. Sulcius, S. Gilmanshina and R. Sagitova. Reactions of Precious and Inactive Metals with Acids. World Journal of Chemical Education. 2018; 6(2):91-94. doi: 10.12691/WJCE-6-2-3

Abstract

In chemistry, the redox reactions play an important role. While studying chemistry at the universities, much attention is paid to the problems of redox processes. One of the most important issues is the interaction of metals with solutions of strong acids. To qualitatively evaluate the possibility of dissolving a metal in strong acids, one can use the electrochemical series of metals. Metals, which are on the left side from hydrogen in electrochemical series, react with strong acids and release hydrogen. Sulfuric acid and nitric acid, depending on their concentration in the solution, react with metals, releasing a whole spectrum of gaseous products. Solution of many questions of redox reactions are addressed by memorizing responses or reaction algorithms. However, a person cannot remember everything, ones does not need. In order to help students to understand and write oxidation-reduction equations and avoid learning by heart, the authors suggest calculating the electromotive force (EMF) of redox reactions and then predicting their thermodynamic probability under standard and real conditions. In the article reactions of inactive and precious metals (Cu, Au and Pt) with strong acids using standard and stationary potentials of metals, which allow to calculate EMF and predict a “thermodynamically favourable” reaction without performing an experiment, are explained.

Keywords

inactive and precious metals, standard potential, stationary potential, electromotive force

Copyright

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