Exercise 6(C)

Q1(a) Where does Hydrogen occur in free state?

(b) How did the name 'hydrogen' originate?
Ans-(a) In free state, hydrogen is found in traces in earth's crust and
atmosphere. Volcanic gases contain 0.025% of it, the earth's crust 0.98%,
the earth's atmosphere 0.01% and the atmospheres of the Sun and the stars
also contain hydrogen in large amounts.
(b) It is on account of its ability to form water that Lavoisier, in 1783,
named it hydrogen (Greek word meaning water former).
Q2.Hydrogen can be prepared with the help of cold water. Give a reaction
of hydrogen with:
(a) a monovalent metal
(b) divalent metal
Answer
(a) 2K + H2 →ΔΔ 2KH
(b) Ca + H2 →ΔΔ CaH2
Q3.Which metal is preferred for preparing hydrogen from:
(a) cold water?
(b) hot water?
(c) steam?
Write balanced equation for each case.
Ans(a) Calcium is preferred for preparing hydrogen from cold water as
the reaction is less vigorous than Sodium.
Ca + 2H2O ⟶ Ca(OH)2 + H2 ↑
(b) Magnesium reacts with boiling water and forms a base, magnesium
hydroxide, liberating hydrogen gas.
Mg + 2H2O ⟶ Mg(OH)2 + H2 ↑
(c) Zinc is preferred for preparing hydrogen from steam. When steam is
passed over heated zinc, hydrogen is liberated and zinc is converted to zinc
oxide.
Zn + H2O ⟶ ZnO + H2 ↑
Q4.Hydrogen may be prepared in the laboratory by the action of a metal
with an acid.
(a) Which of the metals copper, zinc, magnesium or sodium would be the
most suitable?
(b) Which of the acids dilute sulphuric, concentrated sulphuric, dilute nitric
and concentrated nitric would you choose? Explain why you would not use
the acids you rejected.
(c) How would you modify your apparatus to collect dry hydrogen?
Which drying agent would you employ for this purpose?
Ans-(a) Zinc, because sodium reacts violently with acid, magnesium is
expensive and copper does not displace hydrogen when reacted with acids
as it lies below hydrogen in the metal activity series.
(b) Dilute sulphuric acid is preferred to prepare hydrogen in the laboratory
because:

1. Nitric acid, even in its dilute form, is not used in the preparation of
hydrogen from metals because it is a powerful oxidizing agent, and
the oxygen formed due to its decomposition oxidizes the hydrogen to
give water, thus defeating the purpose of the reaction.
3Zn + 8HNO3 ⟶ 3Zn(NO3)2 + 4H2O + 2NO↑
2. The reason for not using concentrated sulphuric acid is that it is a
strong oxidiser and will produce sulphur dioxide.
Zn + 2H2SO4 ⟶ ZnSO4 + SO2 + 2H2O

(c) The purified and dry hydrogen gas is collected over mercury because
mercury has no reaction with it.
Common drying agents like fused calcium chloride, caustic potash stick and
phosphorous pentoxide can be used to dry hydrogen gas.
Q5.Why are the following metals not used in the lab. preparation of
hydrogen?
(a) calcium
(b) iron
(c) aluminium
(d) sodium
Ans-The following metals are not used in the lab. preparation of hydrogen
because:
(a) Calcium is expensive.
(b) Iron has to be heated, but then the hydrogen thus produced contains
impurities like hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide.
(c) Aluminium forms a protective coating of Al 2O3 due to its great affinity
for oxygen. Due to the coating of Al2O3, aluminium does not give hydrogen
with acid.
(d) Sodium reacts violently with acid.
Q6.Based on the reactions of water on metals, arrange the following metals
in increasing order of reactivity: Iron, sodium, magnesium, zinc, calcium.
Ans-Iron < Zinc < Magnesium < Calcium < Sodium
Q7.Hydrogen is evolved when dilute HCl reacts with magnesium, but
nothing happens in the case of mercury and silver. Explain.
Ans-As magnesium is more reactive than hydrogen and is placed above it in
the metal reactivity series, hence hydrogen is displaced by magnesium but
mercury and silver are less reactive than hydrogen and are placed below it
in the series, hence they can't displace hydrogen.
Q8.Steam can react with a metal and a non-metal to liberate hydrogen. Give
the necessary conditions and equations for the same.
Ans-The conditions necessary for the reaction of steam with a metal and a
non-metal to liberate hydrogen are:
 1. Presence of steam — Steam (water vapor) is required for this
reaction to occur.
2. Heat — The reaction is typically carried out at high temperatures to
facilitate the reaction between the metal or non-metal and steam.

Reaction of Zinc (metal) with steam to liberate hydrogen:

Znheated+H2Osteam⟶ZnO+H2↑heatedZn+steamH2O⟶ZnO+H2↑
Reaction of Carbon (non-metal) with steam to liberate hydrogen:
CRed Hot Coke+H2Osteam⟶CO+H2⏟Water gasRed Hot CokeC
+steamH2O⟶Water gasCO+H2
Q9.Hydrogen is obtained by displacement from
(a) dilute sulphuric acid
(b) dilute hydrochloric acid
Write equations using zinc and iron.
Why does not copper show similar behaviour?
Answer
(a) dilute sulphuric acid
Zn + H2SO4 (dil.) ⟶ ZnSO4 + H2 ↑
Fe + H2SO4 (dil.) ⟶ FeSO4 + H2 ↑
(b) dilute hydrochloric acid
Zn + 2HCl (dil.) ⟶ ZnCl2 + H2 ↑
Fe + 2HCl (dil.) ⟶ FeCl2 + H2 ↑
Zinc and iron are above hydrogen in activity series of metals whereas copper
is below hydrogen in the series. As metals below hydrogen cannot displace it
from dilute acids hence, copper does not show similar behaviour as zinc and
iron.
Q10.Give a reason for the following
(a) Though lead is above hydrogen in the activity series, it is not used to
prepare hydrogen.
(b) Potassium and sodium are not used for reaction with dilute
hydrochloric acid or dilute sulphuric acid in the laboratory preparation of
hydrogen.
Ans-(a) Lead reacts with dilute sulphuric acid or hydrochloric acid and
forms an insoluble coating of lead sulphate or lead chloride. Therefore,
further reaction is prevented. Hence, it is not used to prepare hydrogen.
(b) Potassium and sodium react violently with acid, hence they are not used
for reaction with dilute hydrochloric acid or dilute sulphuric acid in the
laboratory preparation of hydrogen.
Q11.Name two alkalies that can displace hydrogen. Give balanced
equations for the same. Why are the metals you have used considered to
have unique nature?
Ans-NaOH and KOH
Zn + 2NaOH ⟶ Na2ZnO2 + H2 ↑
Zn + 2KOH ⟶ K2ZnO2 + H2 ↑
Zinc and aluminium are considered to have a unique nature because:
(i) They can react with acids and can even react with hot conc. alkalis to
form hydrogen and a soluble salt.
Zn + 2HCl ⟶ ZnCl2 + H2
(ii) Their oxides and hydroxides are amphoteric in nature i.e., they react
with both bases and acids to give salt and water.
ZnO + 2HCl ⟶ ZnCl2 + H2O
ZnO + 2NaOH ⟶ Na2ZnO2 + H2O
Q13.If the following are kept in closed vessels at over 400°C what would
happen to them ?
(a) iron filings and steam,
(b) hydrogen and magnetic oxide of iron ?
Ans-(a) Iron oxide is formed with liberation of hydrogen gas.
3Fe + 4H2O ⇌ Fe3O4 + 4H2 ↑
(b) Hydrogen when passed over heated magnetic oxide of iron, it reduces the
oxide to free metal.
Fe2O3 + 3H2 ⟶ 2Fe + 3H2O
Q14(a) A metal in the powdered form reacts very slowly with the boiling
water, but it decomposes with steam. Name the metal.
(b) Write a balanced equation for the reaction of the named metal with (i)
boiling water (ii) steam.
Ans-(a) Magnesium
(b) The reaction of Magnesium with:

1. boiling water
Mg + 2H2O ⟶ Mg(OH)2 + H2 ↑
2. steam
Mg + H2O [steam] ⟶ MgO + H2 ↑

Q15.What do you observe when hydrogen gas is passed through soap

solution?
Ans-On passing hydrogen gas through the soap solution, soap bubbles filled
with hydrogen start coming out of the solution and rise up in the air. This
behaviour proves that hydrogen is lighter than air.
Q16.Under what conditions can hydrogen be made to combine with
(a) nitrogen
(b) chlorine
(c) sulphur
(d) oxygen
Name the products in each case and write the equation for each reaction.
Ans-(a) Three volumes of hydrogen and one volume of nitrogen react at
temperature 450-500°C, pressure 200-900 atm in the presence of a catalyst,
finely divided iron, with molybdenum as a promoter to give ammonia.
N2+3H2⇌450-500 °CFe2NH3+ΔN2+3H2Fe450-500 °C2NH3+Δ
(b) Equal volumes of hydrogen and chlorine react slowly in diffused
sunlight but explosively in direct sunlight, to form hydrogen chloride.
H2+Cl2→sunlight2HClH2+Cl2sunlight2HCl
(c) Hydrogen gas on passing through molten sulphur reacts to give
hydrogen sulphide.
H2+Smolten sulphur⟶H2SH2+molten sulphurS⟶H2S
(d) Hydrogen burns (in presence of electric spark) with a 'pop' sound in
oxygen and with a blue flame forming water.
2H2+O2→electric spark2H2O2H2+O2electric spark2H2O
Q17.When hydrogen is passed over a black solid compound A, the products
are 'a colourless liquid' and 'a reddish-brown metal B.'
Substance B is divided into two parts, each placed in separate test tubes.
Dilute HCl is added to one part of substance B and dilute HNO3 to the
other.
(a) Name the substances A and B.
(b) Give two tests for the colourless liquid formed in the experiment.
(c) What happens to substance A when it reacts with hydrogen ? Give
reasons for your answer.
(d) Write an equation for the reaction between hydrogen and substance A.
(e) Is there any reaction between substance B and dilute hydrochloric acid ?
Give reasons for your answer.
Ans-(a) A = copper oxide [CuO],
B = copper [Cu]
(b) The liquid does not change the colour of blue or red litmus paper,
showing neutral nature.
It changes the colour of cobalt chloride paper from blue to pink colour.
Hence, the liquid produced is water.
(c) Black copper oxide (A) is reduced to copper, by losing oxygen. This
happens because, hydrogen, the reducing agent reduces copper oxide to
copper.
(d) CuO + H2 →ΔΔ Cu + H2O
(e) As copper is less reactive than hydrogen and lies below it in the metal
reactivity series, hence it cannot displace it from HCl. Hence, there is no
reaction between them.
Cu + HCl ⟶ No reaction