You must have seen tarnished copper vessels being cleaned with lemon or tamarind juice. Explain why these sour substances are effective in cleaning the vessels.

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Solution

When a copper vessel is exposed to moist air for a long time, a dull green colored layer is formed on it. This greenish layer is a mixture of copper hydroxide ( $C u (O H)_{2}$ ) and copper carbonate ( $C u C O_{3}$ ).
The reaction is
$2 C u + H_{2} O + C O_{2} + O_{2}$ $⟶ C u (O H)_{2} + C u C O_{3}$

As these products are basic in nature, to clean them lemon or tamarind juice-like acidic substances are needed. These sour substances are effective in cleaning the copper vessels hence are considered for cleaning.

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Give reason

1. Aluminum is more reactive than iron yet there is less corrosion of aluminum as compared to iron when both are exposed to air.

2. Tarnished copper vessels are cleaned with tamrind juice.

Write scientific reasons.

Lemon or tamarind is used for cleaning copper vessels turned greenish.

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