Does hydrofluoric acid dissolve wood?
No.
Can hydrofluoric acid (HF) dissolves gold?
Go to reduction potentials: + e− ⇋ Au(s) E° (V) = +1.83 H^+ + 2 e− ⇋ H2(g) 0.0000 To force the Au^+ rexn to an oxdn requires -1.83 V which since it is -ve is highly disallowed thremodynamically the rxn Au + 2H^+ ⇋ [Au^+-] + H2(g) goes not occur RTLnKeq = nFE° You also cannot oxidize 2F^- to F2; F2(g) + 2 e− ⇋ 2 F− E° +2.87 V F2 just about is the least oxidizable substance known conc HNO3 acid is able to oxidixze Au to Au(III) giving reduced products of NO2. The Cl^ from cnc HCl can bind with Au^3= to give the soluble cmplx ion [AuCl4]^- which is soluble and allows attack of more of the Au surface bt HNO#. A 3:1 HCl:HNO3 (conc acides) is able solubilize Au (google aqua regia) So you can add conc HF to a mixture of Au and sand SiO2 SiO2 + 6HF → H2[SiF6] + 4H2O Must use Teflon or polypropylene containers for rxn. And HF has a unique way of burning: it passes through the skin with very little pain and then starts eating your bone (F^- ion) which gives excruciating pain and is hard to treat: subcutaneous injections of calcium gloconate
Can Hydrofluoric Acid be used to dissolve rocks at beaches?
Hydrofluoric acid can dissolve almost anything, including your bones. Even a tiny bit on your finger can lead to extreme pain and probably amputation of fingers or your entire hand. Please do not play around with HF. It is not a friendly acid at all. It is only moderately manageable in a lab setting, and even there it is not really 'safe'.If you want to dissolve rocks, there are other options. Why do you want to dissolve rocks? And why specifically at the beach?I am also wondering if you meant to say hydroCHLORIC acid, which geologists DO use (in extremely diluted form). HCl (dilute) is handy because carbonate rocks react (dissolve with bubbles) with it and we can therefore use it to recognize carbonates, and even crudely distinguish between 'pure' CaCO3 and magnesium bearing CaCO3.HCl (in dilute form) is unlikely to burn you, however it WILL cause your fabric clothing to eventually degrade and 'dissolve', leaving nice raggedy holes in your jeans, for instance. HCl in concentrated form will cause acid burns, but it isn't nearly as dangerous to human bodies as HF. Stay well away from HF.