Question

How do you write a balanced chemical equation for the reaction of magnesium solid with sulfuric acid to form hydrogen gas and magnesium sulfate?

Answer 1

Magnesium sulfate:

• Magnesium sulfate is a chemical compound, a salt with the formula ${\mathrm{MgSO}}_4$.
• Magnesium reacts with dilute Sulphuric acid to form Magnesium sulfate and Hydrogen gas.

$\underset{\mathrm{Magnesium}}{\mathrm{Mg}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Sulphuric}\mathrm{acid}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Magnesium}\mathrm{sulfate}}{{\mathrm{MgSO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Hydrogen}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$

• This reaction is a single displacement reaction and also exothermic.

Therefore, the balanced chemical equation for the reaction of magnesium solid with sulfuric acid to form hydrogen gas and magnesium sulfate is $\underset{\mathrm{Magnesium}}{\mathrm{Mg}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Sulphuric}\mathrm{acid}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2{\mathrm{SO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Magnesium}\mathrm{sulfate}}{{\mathrm{MgSO}}_4\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Hydrogen}}{{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$.