13.

1 Metals: A review
Where are metals found?
They are found in Group 1 (the alkali metals), Group 2 (alkali earth metals), the transition metals
and a bit from Group 3.
Physical properties of metals:

Strong
Malleable
Ductile
Sonorous
Lustrous
Good conductors of heat and electricity
High melting and boiling points
High density

Chemical properties of metals:

React with oxygen to form oxides

Form basic metal oxides
Have variable valency

But there are also some exemptions

13.2 Comparing metals for reactivity

The reaction of metals with water
Potassium and sodium react with water to form metal hydroxide and hydrogen. Magnesium
reacts slowly with cold water, but reacts vigorously when heated with steam. Magnesium forms
magnesium oxide and hydrogen when reacted with water.

Metal

Reaction

Products

Potassium

Very violent even with

cold water, catches
fire

Potassium of
hydroxide and
hydrogen

Sodium

Violent with cold

water

Sodium hydroxide and

hydrogen

Calcium

Less violent with cold

water

Calcium hydroxide and

hydrogen

Magnesium

Very slow with cold

water but vigorous
with steam

Hydrogen and solid

magnesium oxide

Zinc
Iron
Copper
Silver
Gold

Quite slow with steam

Slow with steam
No reaction
nothing
nothing

Hydrogen and solid zinc oxide

Hydrogen and solid iron oxide
-

The reaction of metals with hydrochloric acid

Most metals react vigorously with hydrochloric acid. Potassium and sodium react very
vigorously with water, so it is not safe to test the reaction in a lab. It is a displacement reaction,
the metal displaces hydrogen from hydrochloric acid to form metal chloride and hydrogen. It is
also a redox reaction

Metal

Reaction

Products

Very vigorous

KCl + H2

Na

Very vigorous

NaCl + H2

Mg

Vigorous

MgCl2 + H2

Zn

Quite slow

ZnCl2 + H2

Fe

Slow

FeCl2 + H2

Pb

Slow, only of the acid

is concentrated

PbCl2 + H2

Cu

No reaction

Silver

nothing

Gold

nothing

The reaction of metals with salt

It is both a displacement and redox reaction.
Iron + Silver chloride Iron chloride + Silver
The reaction of metals with oxygen

It is both a displacement and redox reaction.

Iron + Copper oxide Iron oxide + Copper

13.3 Metals in competition

Competing with carbon
Carbon is more reactive than some metals. Carbon will reduce their oxides to form the metal.
Lead oxide will react with carbon to form lead and carbon dioxide.
Competing with other metals, for oxygen
A metal will reduce the oxide of a less reactive meal. The reduction is an exothermic reaction.
For example iron reacts with copper oxide to form iron oxide and copper.
Competing to form ions solution
Copper (II) sulphate contains blue copper (II) ions and sulphate ions. When an iron nail is
placed, it gets coated with copper, and the solution turns green which indicates iron (II) ions.
Iron has pushed copper out of solution.
Iron + copper (II) sulphate iron (II) sulphate + copper
A metal displaces a less reactive metal from solution of its compounds.
All these reactions are redox reactions: electron transfer takes place in all of them. The more
reactive metal forms positive ions more readily.

13.4 Reactivity series

Rules:

Thermal

The more reactive a metal is the more readily

its atoms can give up electrons
A metal will reactive with a less reactive metal by pushing
the less reactive metal out and taking its place
The more reactive a metal is the more stable its
compounds are
The more reactive a metal is the more difficult it is to extract
it from it ores. The best way to extract reactive metals is
through electrolysis
The less reactive a metal is, the less it likes to form
a compound. That why reactive metals are
usually always found in compounds.

decomposition

Breaking down a substance into two or more products using heat is known as thermal
decomposition. Rules for thermal decomposition:

The lower a metal is in the R.S the more easily its compounds will decompose
Carbonates except sodium and potassium decompose to the oxide and carbon dioxide
Hydroxides, except sodium and potassium, decompose to oxygen and water
Nitrates, except sodium and potassium, decompose to oxide, nitrogen dioxide and
oxygen

Compounds
Carbonates
Hydroxides

Decomposes to
Decompose to the oxide and
carbon dioxide
Decompose to the oxide and water

Nitrates

Decompose to the oxide, nitrogen

Exceptions
Nothing happens to potassium and
sodium
Nothing happens to potassium and
sodium
The nitrates of sodium and

dioxide and oxygen

potassium forms metal nitrites and

oxygen

Compound

Effect of heat on the sodium compound

Carbonate

There is no change in this white

compound
There is no change in this white
compound
This white compound partially
decomposes to the nitrate and oxygen:
2NaNo3 (s) 2NaNO2 (s) +O2 (g)
Sodium nitrate

Hydroxide
Nitrate

Effect of heat on the copper

compound
CuCO3 CuO + CO2
Blue green
black
Cu(OH)2 CuO + H2O
Pale blue
black
Cu(NO3)22CuO+4NO2+O2
Bright blue black
red brown gas

Compound
CuCO3

Name
Copper carbonate

Colour
Blue green

Cu(OH)2

Copper hydroxide

Pale blue

Cu(NO3)2

Copper nitrate

Bright blue

CuO

Copper oxide

Black

NO2

Nitrogen dioxide

Red brown gas