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Metals Reacting with Water & Acids (Edexcel IGCSE Chemistry: Double Science)
Revision Note
Metals reacting with water & acids
- The chemistry of the metals is studied by analysing their reactions with water and acids
- Based on these reactions a reactivity series of metals can be produced
- The series can be used to place a group of metals in order of reactivity based on the observations of their reactions with water and acids
Reactions of metal with cold water summary table
Metal | Reaction with water |
Most reactive | |
Potassium | Reacts violently |
Sodium | Reacts quickly |
Lithium | Reacts less strongly |
Calcium | Reacts less strongly |
Magnesium | |
Zinc | |
Iron | Slow rusting |
Copper | |
Least reactive |
Reaction with water
- The reactions of potassium and sodium have already been seen previously in the alkali metals, but the reaction with calcium and water is given here for reference:
Ca (s) + 2H2O (l) ⟶ Ca(OH)2 (aq) + H2(g)
calcium + water ⟶ calcium hydroxide + hydrogen
- The reactions with magnesium, iron and zinc and cold water are very slow
Reaction with dilute sulfuric or hydrochloric acids
- Only metals above hydrogen in the reactivity series will react with dilute acids
- The more reactive the metal then the more vigorous the reaction will be
- Metals that are placed high on the reactivity series such as potassium and sodium are very dangerous and react explosively with acids
- When acids react with metals they form a salt and hydrogen gas:
- The general equation is:
metal + acid ⟶ salt + hydrogen
- Some examples of metal-acid reactions and their equations are given below:
Table of acid-metal reactions
Metal | Sulfuric acid | Hydrochloric acid |
Magnesium | Mg (s) + H2SO4 (aq) → MgSO4 (aq) + H2 (g) | Mg (s) + 2HCl (aq) → MgCl2 (aq) + H2 (g) |
Zinc | Zn (s) + H2SO4 (aq) → ZnSO4 (aq) + H2 (g) | Zn (s) + 2HCl (aq) → ZnCl2 (aq) + H2 (g) |
Iron | Fe (s) + H2SO4 (aq) → FeSO4 (aq) + H2 (g) | Fe (s) + 2HCl (aq) → FeCl2 (aq) + H2 (g) |
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