in chem. lab we scratched dents in the edge of a penny with a file and left it in hydrochloric acid overnight. the zinc reacted and left just the copper shell.
i think it's chemical but i need to explain more.
2007-12-30 07:21:00 · 2 answers · asked by kryzzal5 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Chemistry
Yes you are right. It is indeed an chemical reaction. When the penny was kept in hydrochloric acid,zinc reacted with the acid to form zinc chloride leaving behind some free hydrogen ions. I have a feeling that the rate of reaction between copper and chlorine is slow. So if you would have kept it longer than overnight in the acid, you might have seen some of the copper shell missing too.
2007-12-30 07:30:50 · answer #1 · answered by PT 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is chemical.
Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) ===> ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)
2007-12-30 07:27:38 · answer #2 · answered by steve_geo1 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋