`Cu(s) + H2SO4(aq) → CuSO4(aq) + H2(g)`
In this reaction, copper metal (Cu) reacts with sulfuric acid (H2SO4) to produce copper sulfate (CuSO4) and hydrogen gas (H2). The reaction is an example of a single-displacement reaction, in which one element (copper) replaces another element (hydrogen) in a compound (sulfuric acid).
The reaction can be broken down into the following steps:
1. Copper metal atoms lose two electrons each to become copper ions (Cu2+).
2. Hydrogen ions (H+) from the sulfuric acid gain the electrons lost by the copper atoms to become hydrogen gas (H2).
3. The copper ions and sulfate ions (SO42-) from the sulfuric acid combine to form copper sulfate.
The overall reaction is represented by the chemical equation given above.
