what does lead combine with?

Answer 1

Lancenigo di Villorba (TV), Italy

Mon ami "GervaldF" a reçu ta question et il a donné toi la solution.

Lead is a bluish aspect's metal, very soft and very heavy.
In the "electrochemical series" it results NOT more noble than hydrogen, so it should dissolve itself in acidic solutions. This is NOT true. Galvanic experiences show you that lead belong to metals characterized by great "over-tension phenomena". Hydrogen's over-tension permit not hydrogen's gas bubbling, so "not-oxidizing acids" corrodes not this metal.
There are another phenomena which stops lead's corrosion.
Some electrolytes can give off insoluble lead's compounds.
Hydrofluoric, hydrochloric and sulphuric acid's solutions show a thin coating of white insoluble compounds (e.g. fluoride, chloride and sulphate salts, respectively PbF2, PbCl2 and PbSO4). Hydrogen sulphide give a black coating (e.g. lead sulphide PbS).
Concentrated nitric acid's solutions (e.g. red-fuming nitric acid) show not visible changes ; in reality, surface matter become lead's dioxide (e.g. PbO2) who protects metal's core by external attacks.

You conclude that dilute nitric acid's solutions is the most common electrolyte who corrode lead bodies
4 Pb + 10 HNO3 ---> 4 Pb(NO3)2 + NH4NO3 + 3 H2O

I hope this helps you.

Answer 2

Lead reacts with dilute nitric acid.
It also reacts with highly reactive non-metals such as chlorine or oxygen.