Question

What happens when dilute hydrochloric acid is added to iron fillings? Tick the correct answer.

• A. Hydrogen gas and Iron chloride are produced
• B. Chlorine gas and Iron hydroxide are produced
• C. No reaction takes place
• D. Iron salt and water are produced

Answer 1

The correct option is A

Hydrogen gas and Iron chloride are produced

Explanation for correct option

Option (A) is the correct answer.

Reaction would be considered as metal with acids type of reaction in which metal and acid react with each other to form salt and they liberate hydrogen gas. Reaction can be shown as:

$\mathrm{Metal}+\mathrm{Acid}\stackrel{}{\to }\mathrm{Salt}+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)$

Iron is metal when it reacts with hydrochloric acid $\left(\mathrm{HCl}\right)$ then the reaction is shown as:

$\mathrm{Fe}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+\mathrm{HCl}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\stackrel{}{\to }{\mathrm{FeCl}}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)$

Reaction is not balanced though balanced reaction can be written as:

$\mathrm{Fe}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+2\mathrm{HCl}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\stackrel{}{\to }{\mathrm{FeCl}}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)$

Thus option (A) is the correct answer.

Explanation for incorrect option

Since when metal is reacting with acid it form salt and hydrogen gas only, thus option B, C and D are incorrect.