Question

why does zinc react with hydrogen sulphate to give hydrogen gas but copper does not

Answer 1

Here Zinc is highly reactive element than Hydrogen element whereas Copper is least reactive element than hydrogen....

So when Zinc granules is added to Hydrogen sulphate , zinc displaces hydrogen from hydrogen sulphate solution being higly reactive than hydrogen...wheras copper being least reactive than hydrogen and fails to displace hydrogen from hydrogen sulphate solution , so when copper is added to hydrogen sulphate , no reaction takes place...

This is one way to explain using reactivity of elements...

But you should know...All the chemical reaction takes place for achieving stability by atoms or elements...

Everyone want to be stable...You me...simillary atoms or elements or atom too...
To be stable means to be Happy...
if we are stable , it means we have good life , wealth and health...if not the we do jobs for stability n all...

Similarly , Atoms or elements become stable , But here to achieve stability, they complete their octet state ( Hope you know about it..)
Once they complete their octet state , they have to live with two or.more atoms...so a molecule formed...This is nothing due to chemical reaction...

So...
Zinc displaces hydrogen from hydrogen sulphate but not copper..This is becuase , When zinc added to hudrogen sulphate , Sulphate ion become more stable with zinc than copper...so Sulphate ion combined with zinc to form zincSulphate and achieve stability....

Hope you get....Sorry for long answer..and my poor english...