Why does chlorine & water forms when Magnese dioxide reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid??

Question

Metallic oxides are basic in nature & they produce salt & water on reacting with dilute acids. Then why on reacting Magnese Oxide with dilute hydrochloric acid produces chlorine also ??

Answer 1

This is generally an intermediate reaction in a permanganate test for chloride ion.

Write the half-reaction skeletons.

MnO₂(s)→Mn²⁺(aq)

Cl⁻(aq)→Cl₂(g)

• You explicitly stated the oxidation state of Mn in both compounds, so it should be obvious that manganese got reduced.
• Chlorine gas is a homonuclear diatomic, and therefore has an oxidation state that changed from −1 in Cl⁻ to zero in Cl₂.

Now, to balance them,

1. Balance non-O and non H atoms.
2. Add H2O to balance O atoms, since we are in aqueous conditions.
3. Add H+ to balance H atoms, since we are in acidic conditions.
4. Add e− to balance charge, as a formal way to depict change in oxidation state.

Comments

Have u read my question properly what i have asked?

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hi, please see the updated answer. I hope this will clear your doubt