Question

Can a metal less reactive than hydrogen in a metal carbonate react with acid to produce `CO_2`, `H_2O` and salt? Thank you.

Answer 1

Yes, it has nothing to do with the metal's reactivity compared with hydrogen

e.g

`CuCO_(3(s))+2HCl_((aq))rarrCuCl_(2(aq))+CO_(2(g))+H_2O_((l))`

Copper is less reactive than hydrogen.

This is because the essential reaction when a carbonate reacts with an acid is:

`2H_((aq))^(+)+CO_(3(s))^(2-)rarrCO_(2(g))+H_2O_((l))`