CLASS – IX CHEMISTRY

CHAPTER – 6 HYDROGEN
Answer the following questions:

1. (a) Name two metals which react with cold water to form hydrogen. Write the
balanced chemical equations
Ans.Sodium, Potassium, Calcium

(b) Name two metals which react with steam and displace hydrogen. Write the balanced
chemical equations.
Ans. Magnesium, aluminium, zinc and iron
Mg + H2O → MgO + H2
2Al + 3H2O → Al2O3 + 3H2
Zn + H2O → ZnO + H2
3Fe + 4H2O → Fe3O4 + 4H2

2. Amongst the metals iron, magnesium, zinc and aluminium which reacts:-
(i) Fastest with dil. Sulphuric acid and
Ans. Magnesium
Mg + H2SO4 → MgSO4 + H2

(ii) Slowest with dilute sulphuric acid. Write fully balanced chemical equations.
Ans. Iron
Fe + H2SO4 → FeSO4 + H2
3. Name two metals which will displace hydrogen from strong caustic alkalis.
Write chemical equations in support of your answer.
Ans. Aluminium, zinc and lead
2Al + 2NaOH + 2H2O → 2NaAlO2 + 3H2
Zn + 2NaOH → Na2ZnO2 + H2
Pb + 2NaOH → Na2PbO2 + H2
4. How do the following react with water? Write balanced chemical equations:-
(i) Potassium hydride
(ii) Calcium hydride
Ans. Some of the very reactive metals like Li, Na, K, Ca form hydrides by reacting with
hydrogen. These hydrides are decomposed by water liberating hydrogen.
(i) 2K + H2 → 2KH
KH + H2O → KOH + H2 ↑
(ii) Ca + H2 → CaH2
CaH2 + H2O → Ca(OH)2 + H2 ↑
5. How will you prepare hydrogen gas in laboratory? State three precautions necessary
for the collection of hydrogen.

Ans. Hydrogen gas is prepared in the laboratory by treating granulated zinc (granulated
zinc has sharp edges and is prepared by pouring molten zinc in cold water) with dilute
sulphuric acid.
Zn + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + H2
The gas is collected over water by the downward displacement of water.
Precautions necessary for the collection of hydrogen are :-
1. Apparatus should be air tight.
2. Allow the first few bubbles of hydrogen gas to escape, as they not only contain air, but
also form an explosive mixture.

3. Do not bring any naked flame near the apparatus. It is because if the gas is leaking, it
will form an explosive mixture, leading to bursting of apparatus.

4. The lower end of the thistle funnel must dip in the dilute sulphuric acid, as otherwise gas
will escape from the thistle funnel.

6.a) Why does hydrogen gas collected from zinc has a characteristic fishy smell?
Ans. Due to the presence of impurities like arsine,phosphine and hydrogen sulphide.
(b) Name the chemicals used in the purification of hydrogen gas prepared from
granulated zinc.

Ans. The various chemicals, which remove the impurities present in hydrogen gas, are:-

 Silver nitrate solution removes, arsine (AsH3) and phosphine (PH3).

 Lead nitrate solution, removes hydrogen sulphide (H2S).
 Potassium hydroxide solution , removes nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon dioxide
(CO2) and sulphur dioxide (SO2).
 Anhydrous calcium chloride absorbs water vapour.

7. How is hydrogen prepared industrially by Bosch process?

Ans. Bosch Process:
1) Preparation of Water Gas
=
Superheated steam is passed through white hot coke or charcoal, an endothermic reaction
takes place, forming a mixture of equal volumes of CO and H2 gas.
C + H2 O → [CO + H2] - ∆H
(White hot coke) steam Water gas
2) Removal of carbon monoxide from water gas
Mixture is passed through twice the volume of superheated steam, it forms CO2 and H2 gas
and it is called water gas shift reaction.
1) Catalyst  Ferric oxide [Fe2O3]
2) Promoter  Chromic oxide [Cr2O3]
3) Temperature  450°C - 500°C
4) Pressure  Normal atmospheric pressure

The mixture is compressed to 30 atmospheric pressure and then passed through water where
CO2 dissolves with water to form carbonic acid
H2O + CO2 → H2 CO3
Hydrogen gas formed in this method contains moisture and trace amount of CO as impurity,
which is removed by passing the mixture through ammoniacal cuprous chloride solution.
CuCl + CO + 2H2O → CuCl.CO.2H2O
Moisture present in this mixture can be removed by cooling the gas at – 20°C where water
vapour freezes and pure dry hydrogen gas is collected in steel cylinders.

8. K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al, Zn, Fe, Sn, Pb, H, Cu, Hg, Ag and Au constitute activity series.
Answer the following questions:
(a) Name the metal which reacts fastest with cold water.
Ans. K

(b) Name the metal which does not react with cold water, but reacts with boiling hot
water very slowly.
Ans. Zn, Fe

(c) Name the metal which on heating reacts with steam, but reaction is reversible.
Ans. Fe

(d) Name a metal which reacts explosively with dilute HCl.

Ans. Na

(e) Name a metal which reacts vigorously wuth dilute HCl.

Ans. Na, Zn

(f) Name a metal which displaces hydrogen very slowly from dilute HCl.
Ans. Fe, Pb

(g) Name a metal which does not react with water or dilute HCl.
Ans. Cu
9. By giving examples explain the following terms :-
Ans. (a) Oxidation: - When a substance gains oxygen or loses hydrogen, the oxidation of
substance takes place.
(b) Reduction: - When a substance gains hydrogen or loses oxygen, the reduction of
substance takes place.
CuO + H2 → Cu + H2O
In the above reaction :
(i) as copper oxide loses oxygen, therefore, its reduction takes place.
(ii) as hydrogen gains oxygen, therefore, its oxidation takes place.
 Extra Questions:-
10. Why are nitric acid and hot concentrated sulphuric acid not used in preparation of
hydrogen?
Ans. Nitric acid is a strong oxidizing agent and forms oxides of nitrogen, rather than
hydrogen.
Also hot concentrated sulphuric acid produces sulphur dioxide.
Thus, both nitric acid and hot concentrated sulphuric acid are not used in preparation
of hydrogen.
11. Why lead cannot be used for preparing hydrogen from HCl or H2SO4?
Ans. It is because lead chloride or lead sulphate formed during the reaction are insoluble in
water and hence, settle over the surface of lead. This in turn cuts of the contact of
acid with lead and hence, reaction stops.
12. Why is granulated zinc always contains copper as impurity.
Ans. Copper acts as catalyst and speeds up reaction. Furthermore, it provides large surface
area, which speeds up the reaction.
13. Why is zinc preferred to other metals?
Ans. Because K, Na are expensive and react violently. Ca, Mg are expensive and rate of
evolution of hydrogen is so fast that it is difficult to collect.
Al is coated with a protective layer of Al2O3, which does not allow acid to react.
Fe and Pb reacts slowly.
14. Name the impurities present in the gas prepared from granulated zinc.
Ans. Following gaseous impurities are present in traces:-
1) Arsine gas 5) Carbon dioxide
2) Phosphine gas 6) Oxide of nitrogen
3) Hydrogen sulphide 7) Water vapour
4) Sulphur dioxide
15. How is hydrogen prepared from natural gas?
Ans. Natural gas contains methane gas which reacts with steam to give hydrogen.

This CO is prepared from H2 by water gas shift reaction.

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