15 Facts on H2SO4 + Zn: What, How To Balance & FAQs

Zn is the 24th most abundant element in the Earth crust, having a shiny grey appearance. Let us look at how Zn reacts with H2SO4 with the help of this article.

H2SO4 reacts with Zn metal to release gas and a salt is formed. H2SO is a commonly used dehydrating agent of organic chemistry. It is also used to provide an acidic medium to the reaction. Zn is a brittle metal found in the Earth crust. Zinc atomic number is 30 and it is the first element of group 12.

This article will highlight some important facts about H2SO4 + Zn reaction, like products, type of reaction, intermolecular forces and balanced chemical equation.

What is the product of H2SO4 and Zn?

Zinc Sulphate (ZnSO4) and Hydrogen (H2) gas are the products of H2SO4 and Zn reaction. The chemical equation for the H2SO4 + Zn reaction is:

Zn + H2SO4 = ZnSO4 + H2

What type of reaction is H2SO4 + Zn?

H2SO4 + Zn reaction is a single displacement reaction in which Zn atoms displace H2 from H2SO4 to produce ZnSO4 salt.

How to balance H2SO4 + Zn?

The general unbalanced chemical equation is Zn + H2SO4 = ZnSO4 + H2. Following steps must be kept in mind while balancing any chemical equation:

  • To count if the number of individual atoms present on the reactant and product side are equal or not.
  • In the case of H2SO4 and Zn, the number of atoms is already balanced; therefore, no further steps are needed.
  • Thus, the balanced chemical equation is
    Zn + H2SO4 = ZnSO4 + H2

H2SO4 + Zn titration

The titration of H2SO4 + Zn is not possible because H2SO4 is an acid but Zn is a metal and not a base. Therefore, acid-base titration is not possible here.

H2SO4 + Zn net ionic equation

H2SO4 + Zn reaction net ionic equation is Zn (s) + 2H+ (aq.) = Zn2+ (aq.) + H2 (g). The step-by-step method to find the net ionic equation for a reaction is as follows:

  • Write the general balanced chemical equation for H2SO4 + Zn reaction.
    Zn + H2SO4 = ZnSO4 + H2
  • Denote the chemical states of each compound available in the reaction.
    Zn (s) + H2SO4 (aq.) = ZnSO4 (aq.) + H2 (g)
  • Split the electrolytes, which are strong enough to break into ions.
    Zn (s) + 2H+ (aq.) + SO42- (aq.) = Zn2+ (aq.) + SO42- (aq.) + H2 (g)
  • Cancel the ions which are present on both sides of the chemical reaction to obtain the net ionic equation.
    Zn (s) + 2H+ (aq.) = Zn2+ (aq.) + H2 (g)

H2SO4 + Zn conjugate pairs

H2SO4 + Zn itself does not have any conjugate pair because Zn does not contribute to any conjugate acid-base pair as it is a metal. H2SO4 and its conjugate base HSO4 form a conjugate pair.

H2SO4 + Zn intermolecular forces

The intermolecular force between ZnSO4 molecules is ionic interaction as it is an ionic compound.

  • Dipole-dipole interaction and London dispersion forces are present in H2 molecules.
  • H2SO4 contains hydrogen bonding between their molecules.
  • Zn contains metallic bonding.

H2SO4 + Zn reaction enthalpy

H2SO4 + Zn enthalpy of reaction is -153.9 kJ/mol. The standard enthalpy of the formation of different reactants and products is as follows:

MoleculesStandard enthalpy of Formation (in kJ/mol)
H2SO4-909.27
Zn0
ZnSO4-1063.16
H20
Standard enthalpy of formation of products and reactants

Therefore, ΔfH: (Standard enthalpy of formation of products) – (Standard enthalpy of formation of reactants)

ΔfH: [ -1063.16 – 0] – [-909.27 – 0]

ΔfH: -153.9 kJ/mol

Is H2SO4 + Zn a buffer solution

H2SO4 + Zn reaction is not a buffer solution because H2SO4 used here is a strong acid, but for a buffer solution, there must be a weak acid available.

Is H2SO4 + Zn a complete reaction

H2SO4 + Zn reaction is a complete reaction and the products formed are ZnSO4 and H2 gas.

Is H2SO4 + Zn an exothermic or endothermic reaction

H2SO4 + Zn reaction is an exothermic reaction because the enthalpy of the reaction for the chemical equation has a negative value and heat is released during the reaction.

Screenshot 20221118 171507 5
Endothermic Reaction Graph

Is H2SO4 + Zn a redox reaction

H2SO4 + Zn reaction is a redox reaction where Hydrogen atom is getting reduced and Zinc is getting oxidised.

Screenshot 20221128 173940
Process of redox reaction

Is H2SO4 + Zn a precipitation reaction?

H2SO4 + Zn reaction is not a precipitation reaction as no solid products are formed during the progression of the reaction.

Is H2SO4 + Zn reversible or irreversible reaction?

H2SO4 + Zn reaction is an irreversible reaction because the hydrogen gas evolved during the reaction cannot be fused back into the reaction mixture.

Is H2SO4 + Zn displacement reaction?

H2SO4 + Zn reaction is a single displacement or substitution reaction.

Conclusion

In the end, we can conclude that Zn is an important element in our life and froms an industrial point of view. ZnSO4 formed here is a good electrolyte and increases the conductivity of a solution to an extent.