Think about every metal in you life. Chances are you’ve seen a lot of metals, and most of them haven't blown up, dissolved or even reacted with water

Water and Metals

Remember not all metals are the same. While there are a lot of metals which don’t react with water, there are still quite a few which do.

Calcium is a metal, which when placed in water, reacts violently.

This is seen in the video to the right.

The reaction occurring here is Calcium + water →Calcium hydroxide + hydrogen

Think back to when we were talking about groups on the periodic table.

Group 1 (Alkali Metals) are all extremely reactive with water. Some are even so reactive that the air can set them off!

Remember the formula for Potassium and water.

Potassium + Water → Potassium hydroxide + hydrogen

Go one step further and convert it into a chemical formula

K(s) + H2O(l) → KOH(aq) + H2(g)

Lets go again and balance the equation

2K(s) + 2H2O(l) → 2KOH(aq) + H2(g)

Click here to learn how to balance an equation

Write the following equations in their chemical form and then re-write them in a balance equation.

a. Sodium + water → Sodium hydroxide + hydrogen

b. Lithium + water → Lithium hydroxide + hydrogen

c. Calcium + water →Calcium hydroxide + hydrogen

d. Cesium + water → Cesium hydroxide + hyddrogen

Steam is just another form of water. When water evaporates it create steam. Reactions will often occur faster in hot temperatures, because there is more energy.

Magnesium, Zinc and Iron all create with water to produce hydrogen and a metal oxide  

Questions

1. Fill in the blanks

Magnesium + water → Magnesium oxide + hydrogen

Zinc + water → _________ _______ + ________

Iron + water = __________ ________ + _________

2. Using the 3 formulas above, write out each formula’s chemical equation

As with most things on the periodic table, some elements are more reactive than others.

The ‘reactivity series’ lists the order of metals from most to least reactive with acids, oxygen and water.

Questions

1. What is the chemical equation of Oxygen

2. What is meant by a Diatomic molecule and list 2

3. What are two products of mixing metals and water

4. What is a test conduct to see if hydrogen is produced.

5. Write the balanced equation for photosynthesis

6. Using your knowledge of the reactivity series and the table bellow, predict the position of nickel and explain your answer.