NOT what does acid do to metal! I already know that it weathers it!!!What does metal(iron,magnesium,copper..) do to acids?Weaker or stronger?pH level changes??Please help! I need this 4 my project!Thanx!
I'm assuming that you are asking about acids and bases in water in my answer. Metals should not be considered as bases in a direct sense, because their reaction with water, if any, must first involve oxidation - in which the metal donates electrons to water and the water reacts to form hydrogen gas, plus hydroxide (so, yes, after reaction the solution is basic). Some metals (so called active metals) do this reaction - these include all the group 1 and group 2 metals (Li, Na, K, Rb, Ba, Ca, Sr, and Ba - with Mg the reaction is slow and it is very slow for Be). Other metals will not react with water at all (like silver or gold), other only react with acidic aqueous solutions. In all cases where reaction occurs, there is oxidation of metal AND formation of hydroxide (or reaction of the hydroxide formed with H+). Metal oxides of electropositive metals often react to form hydroxides, which can then dissolve as bases. The metal hydroxides are bases (or yield the base hydroxide when they dissolve). Added note: Electropositive metals are those from which taking an electron is relatively easy - the most electropositive metals are those on the left hand side of the periodic table (like those I listed.)
