Will magnesium react with dilute sulphuric acid?
Of course it does! I’m choosing this as an introductory example because everybody will know the right answer before we start. We have also explored this from a slightly different point of view on the previous page in this sequence. The E° values are: You are starting with magnesium metal and hydrogen ions in the acid. The sulphate ions are spectator ions and play no part in the reaction. Think of it like this. There is no need to write anything down unless you want to. With a small amount of practice, all you need to do is just look at the numbers. Is there anything to stop the sort of movements we have suggested? No! The magnesium can freely turn into magnesium ions and give electrons to the hydrogen ions producing hydrogen gas. The reaction is feasible. Now for a reaction which turns out not to be feasible . . . Will copper react with dilute sulphuric acid? You know that the answer is that it won’t. How do the E° values predict this? Doing the same sort of thinking as before: The dia
