The equation $Mg ( s )+2 HCl ( aq )$--> $MgCl _2( aq ) H _2(g)$ is an example of which type of reaction?
A. decomposition reaction
B. triple replacement reaction
C. single replacement reaction
D. double replacement reaction
Answer (2)
Analyze the chemical reaction and identify the reactants and products.
Consider the definitions of different types of reactions: decomposition, triple replacement, single replacement, and double replacement.
Determine that magnesium replaces hydrogen in hydrochloric acid.
Conclude that the reaction is a single replacement reaction: s in g l e re pl a ce m e n t re a c t i o n
Explanation
Analyzing the Reaction Let's analyze the given chemical reaction: M g ( s ) + 2 H Cl ( a q ) ⟶ M g C l 2 ( a q ) + H 2 ( g )
In this reaction, we have magnesium (Mg) reacting with hydrochloric acid (HCl) to produce magnesium chloride ( M g C l 2 ) and hydrogen gas ( H 2 ). We need to identify the type of reaction based on how the reactants transform into products.
Identifying Possible Reaction Types Let's consider the possible reaction types:
Decomposition Reaction: A single compound breaks down into two or more simpler substances. This is not the case here, as we start with two reactants.
Triple Replacement Reaction: This is not a standard or recognized type of chemical reaction.
Single Replacement Reaction: One element replaces another element in a compound. In this reaction, magnesium (Mg) replaces hydrogen (H) in hydrochloric acid (HCl).
Double Replacement Reaction: Two compounds exchange elements or groups of elements. This is not the case here, as we don't have two compounds exchanging ions.
Classifying the Reaction Based on the definitions, we can see that magnesium (Mg) replaces hydrogen (H) in hydrochloric acid (HCl). Therefore, this is a single replacement reaction.
Final Answer The equation M g ( s ) + 2 H Cl ( a q ) ⟶ M g C l 2 ( a q ) + H 2 ( g ) is an example of a single replacement reaction.
Examples
Single replacement reactions are commonly used in various industrial processes, such as extracting metals from their ores. For example, copper can be extracted from copper sulfate solution by reacting it with iron. The iron replaces the copper in the solution, resulting in the formation of iron sulfate and the precipitation of copper metal. This process is an example of how single replacement reactions are utilized in metallurgy to obtain pure metals from their compounds. The general form of a single replacement reaction is: A + BC ⟶ A C + B
The equation M g ( s ) + 2 H Cl ( a q ) → M g C l 2 ( a q ) + H 2 ( g ) is an example of a single replacement reaction. In this reaction, magnesium displaces hydrogen from hydrochloric acid. Therefore, the correct answer is C: single replacement reaction.
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