Why does zinc reacts with DI sulfuric acid to give hydrogen gas but not copper?

Answer 1

If you look at reactivity series, you will find zinc to be more reactive than hydrogen

while copper being less reactive than it. Therefore zinc is able to displace hydrogen

from sulphuric acid while copper is not.

The reaction with zinc is:-

Zn + H2SO4 -------> ZnSO4 +H2

The reaction with copper is

Cu + H2SO4 ---------> No reaction

Answer 2

Zinc reacts with dilute sulfuric acid to produce hydrogen gas because zinc is more reactive than hydrogen and can displace it from the acid. Copper, on the other hand, is less reactive than hydrogen and does not displace it from sulfuric acid. This is because the reactivity of metals determines their ability to displace hydrogen from acids.