WHY DO NON METALS DO NOT DISPLACE HYDROGEN FROM DILUTE ACIDS ?
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Answered by
213
Metals are usually electron donors, that is, they are electropositive. Hydrogen is also an electron donor in Water molecule to Oxygen atom. Metals with more electropositivity can replace Hydrogen from water like Sodium. So such metals replace Hydrogen in dilute acids and form salts.
Example: 2 Na + 2 H Cl ==> 2 Na Cl + H2
Non metals can be electron acceptors or electron donors. If they are electron acceptors, then they are electronegative. They may replace Oxygen or Hydroxide or a Halogen. But they do not replace Hydrogen.
Many non-metals are below Hydrogen in the reactivity series. They are weaker than Hydrogen. So they do not displace Hydrogen from dilute acids. So nonmetals do not react with dilute acids.
Example: 2 Na + 2 H Cl ==> 2 Na Cl + H2
Non metals can be electron acceptors or electron donors. If they are electron acceptors, then they are electronegative. They may replace Oxygen or Hydroxide or a Halogen. But they do not replace Hydrogen.
Many non-metals are below Hydrogen in the reactivity series. They are weaker than Hydrogen. So they do not displace Hydrogen from dilute acids. So nonmetals do not react with dilute acids.
Answered by
115
"Nonmetals do not displace hydrogen from dilute acids because nonmetals have "tendency to accept electrons".
Hence, they cannot provide free electrons in the acidic medium to release hydrogen gas. This is the reason why nonmetals do not release hydrogen gas in acidic medium.
On the contrary, the metals are able to "lose electrons" to form a metal cation. These free electrons react with hydrogen ions of acid to release hydrogen gas in acidic medium. "
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