4.2.3

Reactions with Water & Acid

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Reactions of Reactive Metals with Water

Potassium, sodium and lithium all react quickly with cold water to produce a metal hydroxide and hydrogen gas.

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Potassium

  • Potassium is the most reactive so reacts very quickly.
  • The hydrogen produced ignites instantly and the metal also sets alight, sparking and burning with a lilac flame.
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Sodium

  • Sodium fizzes rapidly and melts to form a ball that moves around on the water surface.
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Lithium

  • Lithium fizzes steadily and floats, becoming smaller until it eventually disappears.

Reactions of Metals with Dilute Acids

Most metals react with dilute acids to give a salt (e.g. aluminium chloride) and hydrogen gas.

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Metals that do react with dilute acids

  • Metals don't have to be that reactive to react with dilute acids.
  • The metals that react with dilute acids but not cold water are magnesium, aluminium, zinc, iron and lead (iron and lead react slowly).
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Metals that don't react with dilute acids

  • The only metals that aren't reactive enough are copper, silver, gold and platinum.

Jump to other topics

1Atomic Structure

2Chemical Bonding

3Quantitative Chemistry

4Chemical Changes

5Energy Changes

6The Rate & Extent of Chemical Change

7Organic Chemistry

8Chemical Analysis

9Chemistry of the Atmosphere

10Using Resources

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