Sodium is kept under oil, and gold never tarnishes. The difference is in how the metals react. In this course we see what metals do with oxygen, water, acids and salt solutions, we arrange them in the reactivity series, and we look at the reactions of non-metals.
3 lessons, about 1 h 15 min3 simulations10 problems6 practice questionsPython in every lesson
Metals react with oxygen to make metal oxides, which are basic, and some oxides, such as aluminium oxide, are amphoteric. Sodium and potassium react so vigorously that they are kept in kerosene. Metals react with water to give a hydroxide or an oxide and hydrogen, depending on how reactive they are.
Metals above hydrogen in the reactivity series react with dilute acids to give hydrogen. A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from a solution of its salt. The reactivity series lists the metals from the most to the least reactive.
A non-metal burns in oxygen to make a non-metal oxide, which is mostly acidic. It dissolves in water to make an acid: carbon dioxide gives carbonic acid, and sulphur dioxide gives sulphurous acid. A few oxides, such as water and carbon monoxide, are neutral. Metal oxides are basic and non-metal oxides are acidic. Non-metals do not give hydrogen with water or dilute acids, because they tend to gain electrons. They combine with hydrogen to make compounds such as HCl and ammonia, and with metals to make ionic compounds.
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