Write the balanced equation of mixing Calcium with Hydrochloric acid...?

Question

I think I got to

Ca + 2HCl →

correctly, but I'm not sure if it's

Ca + 2HCl → H2 + CaCl2
or
Ca + 2HCl → CaH2 + Cl2


Please explain why.

Answer 1

Yours is an excellent question! Both equations balance. Both equations give completely valid chemical species. At your level of chemical education, you could never understand that the second equation could never "go." The reason is that it goes "uphill" in energy, and could never go in water. CaH2 would decompose in water at once.

It's that you considered the alternative route! I feel that you are a young person and I foresee a great future for you in chemistry. I urge you to go on, and to go on keeping an open mind as to what may happen.

Answer 2

it is CaCl2 + H2
This equation is a single- replacement reaction.
in this type of equation the reaction is determined by the element's activity level.
there is only one way for there the be a reaction: if the element that is by its self (Ca) is more active then one of the elements in the binary compound (2HCl).
One element is replaced . . . . since calcium is more reactive then hydrogen, calcium will combined with chloride while hydrogen separates. creating CaCl2+H2
it is already balanced because Ca has a +2 charge and Cl2 has a -2 charge.
this could also be called a single-displacement reaction.
I hope this helps

Answer 3

Ca(s) + 2HCl (aq) -> CaCl2 + H2

It's just a single displacement reaction. Basically, when the solid calcium and aqueous hydrochloric acid are combined, the calcium metal with a 2+ charge will repell from the hydrogen's 1+ charge, and bond with the anion Cl 2-. It forms a simple ionic compound, between the metal (cation) (Ca) and the nonmetal (anion) (Cl).

Answer 4

The first answer, this is why:

The charge of Ca is 2+, the charge of H is 1+, and the charge of Cl is 1-.

Knowing this, The Ca2+ will want to join with the 2Cl- because Ca will give two electrons which the two Chlorine ions will want to take up 1 electron each.

The reason the reaction won't form CaH2 is because Protons repel. If they came close to eachother, the high proton-electron ratio will prevent a bonding of these two ions.

Answer 5

Ca+2HCl=CaCl2+H2
Calcium is electropositive as also hydrogen while Chlorine is highly electronegative.so there is no way Ca combines with H2 in preference to Chlorine

Answer 6

first one
been a while since chem but 2+ charges from the H2 wouldn't be attracted to the +2 charge from the C

Answer 7

This is a single replacement reaction. The calcium will replace hydrogen. So the products are hydrogen gas and calcium chloride.