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What is the effect of the concentration of sulfuric acid and zinc on the rate of the reaction between them, when hydrogen gas is evolved? How will the rate be affected when lead sulfate is formed as a product of the reaction?

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The reaction between sulfuric acid  H2SO4  and zinc  Zn  can be represented by the following balanced chemical equation:Zn s  + H2SO4 aq   ZnSO4 aq  + H2 g In this reaction, zinc reacts with sulfuric acid to produce zinc sulfate and hydrogen gas. The rate of this reaction depends on the concentration of sulfuric acid and the surface area of the zinc metal.1. Effect of concentration of sulfuric acid:According to the collision theory, an increase in the concentration of the reactants leads to an increase in the frequency of collisions between the reacting particles. As a result, the rate of the reaction increases. Therefore, if the concentration of sulfuric acid is increased, the rate of the reaction between sulfuric acid and zinc will also increase.2. Effect of the surface area of zinc:The rate of the reaction also depends on the surface area of the zinc metal. If the surface area of zinc is increased  e.g., by using zinc powder instead of a zinc strip , the number of collisions between the zinc particles and the sulfuric acid molecules will increase, leading to an increase in the rate of the reaction.Now, let's consider the case when lead sulfate  PbSO4  is formed as a product of the reaction. This can occur when lead  Pb  is also present in the reaction mixture. The balanced chemical equation for this reaction is:Pb s  + H2SO4 aq   PbSO4 s  + H2 g Lead sulfate is a solid and has low solubility in water. The formation of lead sulfate as a product can affect the rate of the reaction in the following ways:1. The presence of lead sulfate can decrease the effective concentration of sulfuric acid in the solution, as some of the sulfuric acid is consumed in the formation of lead sulfate. This will result in a decrease in the rate of the reaction between sulfuric acid and zinc.2. The lead sulfate formed can coat the surface of the zinc metal, acting as a barrier and reducing the surface area available for the reaction between zinc and sulfuric acid. This will also lead to a decrease in the rate of the reaction.In summary, the rate of the reaction between sulfuric acid and zinc increases with an increase in the concentration of sulfuric acid and the surface area of zinc. However, the formation of lead sulfate as a product of the reaction can decrease the rate of the reaction by reducing the effective concentration of sulfuric acid and the available surface area of zinc for the reaction.

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