Reactions of Acids

• Metal oxides and metal hydroxides react with acids


  1. Form salts

  2. Form water
• The salt that forms


  Depends upon the acid and the metal in the oxide or hydroxide
• Reactions of acids with metal oxides and hydroxides


  • HCl reacts to form chlorides
  • H2SO4 reacts to form sulfates
  • HNO3 reacts to form nitrates
• Reaction of hydrochloric acid with copper oxide

  CuO + 2HCl → CuCl2 + H2O
• Reaction of sulfuric acid with potassium hydroxide


  H2SO4 + 2KOH → K2SO4 + 2H2O
• Reaction of nitric acid with sodium hydroxide


  HNO3 + NaOH → NaNO3 + H2O
• Metal Carbonates


  Bases that react with acids to produce a salt, water and carbon dioxide
• Reaction of hydrochloric acid with sodium carbonate

  2HCl + Na2CO3 → 2NaCl + H2O + CO2
• Reaction of sulfuric acid with calcium carbonate


  H2SO4 + CaCO3 → CaSO4 + H2O + CO2
• Making soluble salts using an insoluble base


  • Choose an acid containing the desired cation
  • Choose an insoluble base with the same cation
  • React the acid and base to form the soluble salt
• Making copper chloride


  • Use hydrochloric acid and copper oxide, copper hydroxide or copper carbonate
• Making copper chloride from hydrochloric acid and copper oxide


  CuO + 2HCl → CuCl2 + H2O
• Gently warm the dilute acid, then add the insoluble base until no more reacts
• Filter the solution to get the salt, then evaporate to get pure, solid salt crystals