# ANODISING: is process of forming a thick oxide layer of aluminium.
Aluminium develops a thin
oxide layer when exposed to air. This Al2O3 coat makes it resistant to further corrosion. The
resistance can be improved further by making the oxide layer thicker. During anodising, a clean
aluminium article is made the anode and is electrolysed with dil. Sulphuric acid. The oxygen gas
evolved at the anode reacts with aluminium to make a thicker protective oxide layer. This oxide layer
can be dyed easily to give aluminium articles an attractive finish.
a) Reaction of metal with water: Metals react with water and produce a metal oxide
and hydrogen gas.
Metal oxides that are soluble in water dissolve in it to further form metal hydroxide.
But all metals do not react with water.
Metal + Water → Metal oxide + Hydrogen
Metal oxide + Water → Metal hydroxide
Metals like potassium and sodium react violently with cold water. In case of sodium
and potassium, the reaction is so violent and exothermic that the evolved hydrogen
immediately catches fire.
2K(s) + 2H2O(l) → 2KOH(aq) + H2(g) + heat energy
2Na(s) + 2H2O(l) → 2NaOH(aq) + H2(g) + heat energy
The reaction of calcium with water is less violent. The heat evolved is not sufficient
for the hydrogen to catch fire.
Ca(s) + 2H2O(l) → Ca(OH)2(aq) + H2(g)
Calcium starts floating because the bubbles of hydrogen gas formed stick to the
surface of the metal.
Magnesium does not react with cold water. It reacts with hot water to form
magnesium hydroxide and hydrogen. It also starts floating due to the bubbles of
hydrogen gas sticking to its surface.
Mg(s) + 2H2O(l) → Mg(OH)2(aq) + H2(g)
Metals like aluminium, iron and zinc do not react either with cold or hot water. But
they react with steam to form the metal oxide and hydrogen.
2Al(s) + 3H2O(g) → Al2O3(s) + 3H2(g)
3Fe(s) + 4H2O(g) → Fe3O4(s) + 4H2(g)
(Red Hot) (Magnetite)
Metals such as lead, copper, silver and gold do not react with water at all.
b) Reaction of metal with acid: metals react with acids to give a salt and hydrogen gas.
Metal + Dilute acid → Salt + Hydrogen
The vigour of the reaction depends upon the reactivity of any metal.
Metals like sodium/potassium reacts with dil. acids violently
2Na(s) + 2HCl(aq) 2NaCl(aq) + H2(g)
2K(s) + 2HCl(aq) 2KCl(aq) + H2(g)
Magnesium reacts quite rapidly with dil. Acids but reaction is less vigorous than that
of sodium/potassium because it is less reactive that Na/K.
2Mg(s) + 2HCl(aq) 2MgCl2(aq) + H2(g)
Aluminium metal at first reacts slowly with dil. HCl due to the presence of tough
protective layer of aluminium oxide on its surface. But when the tin, outer oxide
layer gets dissolved in acid, then aluminium metal is exposed to acid to form
aluminium chloride and Hydrogen gas. But this reaction is less rapid than
magnesium.
2Al(s) + 6HCl(aq) 2AlCl3(aq) + 3H2(g)
Zinc reacts with dil. Acids but reaction is less rapid than aluminium.
2Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) 2ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)
Iron reacts slowly with dil. Acids but reaction is less vigorous than Zinc.
2Fe(s) + 2HCl(aq) 2FeCl2(aq) + H2(g)
(Iron(II) chloride)
Copper does not react with dilute acids.
So, the rate of formation of hydrogen gas bubbles decreases in order
Mg > Al > Zn > Fe.
Hydrogen gas is not evolved when a metal reacts with nitric acid. It is because HNO3
is a strong oxidising agent. It oxidises the H2 produced to water and itself gets
reduced to any of the nitrogen oxides (N2O, NO, NO2). But magnesium (Mg) and
manganese (Mn) react with very dilute HNO3 to evolve H2 gas.
(# AQUA-REGIA (Royal water)– is a freshly prepared mixture of 1 part of conc. Nitric acids and
3 parts of conc. Hydrochloric acid. It can dissolve gold, even though neither of these acids can do so
alone. Aqua-regia is a highly corrosive, fuming liquid. It is one of the few reagents that is able to
dissolve gold and platinum.)
c) Reaction of Metals with Solutions of other Metal Salts (Displacement reaction):
Reactive metals can displace less reactive metals from their compounds in solution
or molten form.
The Reactivity Series: The reactivity series is a list of metals arranged in the order of
their decreasing activities.
Activity series: Relative reactivities of metals
K Potassium Most reactive
More Na Sodium
reactive Ca Calcium
metals Mg Magnesium Decreasing
than Al Aluminium chemical
Hydrogen Zn Zinc Reactivity decreases reactivity
Fe Iron
Pb Lead
H Hydrogen
Less Cu Copper
reactive Hg Mercury
metals Ag Silver
than Au Gold Least reactive
Hydrogen
REACTIVITY SERIES OF METALS