Does Iron React With Hydrochloric Acid?
Follow Us:
Twitter
Iron reacts with hydrochloric acid to produce dihydrogen and iron(II) chloride. When an HCl solution is added to iron powder, the H+ and Cl- ions from hydrochloric acid disassociate. The Cl- anions form ionic bonds with iron to form FeCl2. The H+ ions pair up, and release as hydrogen gas.
FeCl2, or iron(II) chloride, is a paramagnetic solid with a high melting point and off-white appearance. According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, iron(II) chloride is also soluble in water and gives aqueous solutions a yellowish color. Dihydrogen, or hydrogen gas, is highly flammable and burns in the air at a wide range of concentrations.
ADVERTISEMENT
