Question

Silver reacts with hydrochloric acid to give ${{\text{H}}_{\text{2}}}$.
A. True
B. False

Answer 1

Hint: The species which have less reduction potential then hydrogen can release hydrogen gas. The reduction potential is determined by electrochemical series.

Complete step by step answer:
The electrochemical series is a series of elements, in which elements are arranged according to their reduction potential.
The reduction potential of an element tells the ease of reduction of an element.
The hydrogen lies in between the series. The elements having high reduction potential then hydrogen will get reduced and the hydrogen gets oxidized. So, they cannot release hydrogen gas.
The elements having low reduction potential then hydrogen will get oxidized and the hydrogen gets reduced and hence releases hydrogen gas.
The reduction potential of hydrogen is $0\,{\text{v}}$ and the reduction potential of silver is $0.80\,{\text{v}}$.
So, the silver will reduce and hydrogen will oxidize so the silver cannot release hydrogen gas on reacting with hydrochloric acid.

Therefore the option (B) False is correct.

Additional information: An element whose reduction potential is less than hydrogen can release hydrogen gas, for example, the reduction potential of zinc is $ - 0\,.76{\text{v}}$.
So, the zinc can release hydrogen gas.
${\text{Zn + }}2\,\,{\text{HCl}}\, \to \,{\text{ZnC}}{{\text{l}}_2}\, + \,{{\text{H}}_{\text{2}}}{\text{(g)}}$

Note:
The species which accept electrons is known as reduced and the process is known as reduction. The opposite process in which the species release electrons is known as oxidation. An electrochemical series in which the elements are arranged with high reduction potential on top to low reduction potential on the bottom, then the species present above the hydrogen cannot release hydrogen gas and the species present below the hydrogen can release the hydrogen gas.