[P-man]

I am learning, on my own, with the help of textbooks kindly given to me at Christmas by my grandfather and my own experimenting, some more advanced chemistry than what I studied in Grade Seven. Partly as preparation for High School, and partly for my own knowledge. However, I ran across some reactions that need clarifying.

Through frequent observation, I noticed that HCl likes to form chlorides. So is this equation correct?

CuSO4 + 2HCl --> CuCl2 + H2SO4

Although I found it unlikely that it would form sulphuric acid, I could not find another spot to put the SO4, which I know cannot exist as a free compound.

The second puzzlement in my going-ons was that sulphuric acid usually reacts with metal carbonates to form sulphates, am I not correct? For example, they usually ended up something like this, right:

H2SO4 + CuCO3 --> CuSO4 + CO2 + H2O

Originally I found some weird ionic compound but then I realized that this broken down form would work better. However, until I do it, I have no way to prove that metal carbonates react in this way with sulphuric acid.

[Jay-qu]

yes equations that balance can work in nature - but things can also work backwards. Example: NaCl + KNO3 -> NaNO3 + KCl
so what is stopping KCl + NaNO3 -> NaCl + KNO3 from also been correct?

what happens in reality is that you come to an equilibrium and the concentrations of all the products and reactants depend upon extent to which the reaction progresses, might want to read up on equilibrium constants

[Mercedes Benzene]

When examining a double displacement reaction, you must switch the cations and anions, forming two new products. Take the example that Jay-qu used:
NaCl + KNO3 --> NaNO3 + KCl
This reaction would in fact not take place at all. Note the products. Both of them are soluble, which means that the reaction would not take place. For a double displacement reaction, one of the products must be soluble, and one must be insoluble (precipitate).
This reaction would take place:
KI + Pb2NO3 --> KNO3 + Pb2I
The products are potassium nitrate (soluble) and lead iodide (insoluble)
Note: this rule works only in aqueous reactions.
I hope that helps!

[Jay-qu]

LOL ok bad example.. I was just trying to illistrate that when you have a reaction the backwards reaction is also a possibillity

[Mercedes Benzene]

LOL ok bad example.. I was just trying to illistrate that when you have a reaction the backwards reaction is also a possibillity

...No problem at all! I just wanted to give him some insight into the fabulous world of chemistry! (It is my love!) hhahaha.

[P-man]

I still don't get what you are trying to say. According to other sources the top reaction is right.

[Mercedes Benzene]

I still don't get what you are trying to say. According to other sources the top reaction is right.

What "top" reaction are you talking about?