Question

(a) What are metals? Name any five metals.
(b) Name a metal which is so soft that it can be cut with a knife.
(c) Name the metal which is the best conductor of heat and electricity.
(d) What happens when a metal reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid? Explain with the help of an example.
(e) Write the equation for the reaction of:
(i) Magnesium with dilute hydrochloric acid
(ii) Aluminum with dilute hydrochloric acid
(iii) Zinc with dilute hydrochloric acid
(i) Iron with dilute hydrochloric acid
Name the product in each case. Also indicate the physical state of the substances involved.

Answer 1

Metals are the chemical elements that can easily lose electrons and these are placed at the extreme left side of the periodic table, but some inert elements like copper, gold and silver are also metals but are present in the middle of the periodic table.

Complete answer:
Metals are the elements that conduct heat and electricity, These metals can also easily turn into thin sheets or wires. Some of the examples are Gold, silver, copper. Iron and aluminum.
Sodium is also a metal with atomic number $11$ and can be cut by knife, but it should be cut by pouring cyclohexane.
Silver is the best conductor of heat and electricity.
Hydrogen gas and metal chlorides form when a metal reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid. Magnesium reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to form magnesium chloride and hydrogen gas.
The equations are:
$i)M{g_{\left( s \right)}} + 2HC{l_{\left( {aq} \right)}} \to MgC{l_{2\left( {aq} \right)}} + {H_{2\left( g \right)}}$
The products were magnesium chloride and hydrogen gas
$ii)2A{l_{\left( s \right)}} + 6HC{l_{\left( {aq} \right)}} \to 2AlC{l_{3\left( {aq} \right)}} + 3{H_{2\left( g \right)}}$
The products were aluminium chloride and hydrogen gas
$iii)Z{n_{\left( s \right)}} + 2HC{l_{\left( {aq} \right)}} \to ZnC{l_{2\left( {aq} \right)}} + {H_{2\left( g \right)}}$
The products were zinc chloride and hydrogen gas
$iv)F{e_{\left( s \right)}} + 2HC{l_{\left( {aq} \right)}} \to FeC{l_{2\left( {aq} \right)}} + {H_{2\left( g \right)}}$
The products were iron chloride and hydrogen gas.

Note :
The metal easy to cut is called sodium, but it is very hygroscopic, it should not be kept in water, it vigorously reacts with water and is also explosive. Always sodium metal should be placed in kerosene or any other organic solvents.