[Miniman]

Hello all, im doing a 1000 word essay on hydrochloric acid, just wanted to kno if this chemical was poured over a car, would it destory/ eat away at the car paint, and if yes, how long would it take to do so ?

Thanks for your time

[nj_bartel]

Well, HCl is a gas, so if you were pouring it, you'd have to be pouring a solution of it.  It depends what the paint's made of.

[sjb]

Well, HCl is a gas, so if you were pouring it, you'd have to be pouring a solution of it.  It depends what the paint's made of.

Careful, hydrochloric acid *is* a solution, but HCl (hydrogen chloride) is a gas, the two are not necessarily incompatible.

S

[nj_bartel]

Fair enough 

[Loyal]

Well you could go buy a gallon of it at the store and dump it on your car to find out!   

On a more serious note.  Different paints are effected differently.   What I would guess would actually cause most car paints to be reactive with the acid are the different oxides or organic compounds that are used for coloring agents.  There are also Ketones or other assorted Esters that go into the paint, but the oxides I would imagine would be the most commonly found.