Is adding hydrochloric acid to a strip of magnesium a chemical change?

Answer 1

Yes. You're pouring ACID on it.

So hydrochloric acid is going to be in an aqueous solution (meaing that it is mixed with water, otherwise it technically wouldn't be an acid). Let's pretend that the whole reaction is happening in a solution:

HCl (aq) + Mg2+ (aq) ---> MgCl2 (aq) + H+(aq)

That's the rough version. You won't see anything like a precipitant (MgCl2 aq is not solid), but there is still a chemical change.

And your strip of Mg will probably get eaten.

Answer 2

Very much so.

The reaction chemically changes which elements are bound together.

The Magnesium is dissolved, and in doing so, the hydrogen ions in the acid form H-H bonds and are released to the air as hydrogen gas. The gas production is the sign that a chemical change is taking place.

Chemical equation: 2 HCl + Mg --> MgCl2 + H2

Answer 3

Does the magnesium react with the hydrochloric acid?


Of course it does - so its a chemical change.