Question

What happens when zinc metal is added to acetic acid?

Answer 1

The reaction of metal with acid

• The metal reacts with an acid to form its corresponding salt along with hydrogen gas.
• The general chemical reaction is as follows,
• $\mathrm{Metal}+\mathrm{Acid}\to \mathrm{Salt}+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)$
• The gas produced burns with a pop sound, confirming the gas to be hydrogen gas.

Chemical reaction

• When zinc $\left(\mathrm{Zn}\right)$ granules are added to the solution of acetic acid $\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\right)$, then zinc acetate and hydrogen gas are formed as the product.
• The chemical reaction is as follows,
• $$\begin{gathered} 2\mathrm{Zn}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+2{\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COOH}\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)\to 2\mathrm{Zn}{\left({\mathrm{CH}}_3\mathrm{COO}\right)}_2\left(\mathrm{aq}\right)+{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right) \\ \text{Acetic acid Zinc acetate} \end{gathered}$$