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Let’s take a closer look at the Reactions of Metals (Module 3 Preliminary Chemistry)

Hosted by our Talent 100 Academic Director Dr Nikhil Vasan, we’re going to break down a few of the most important topics for each section of Module 3: Metal Activity Series and Displacement Reactions for Preliminary Chemistry (Year 11).

In this episode of Preliminary Chemistry Talent Teaching Series, we’re to look at how metals react with water, how metals react with acids and how metals react with oxygen.

Now that we’ve covered Redox Reactions, we can now look at the specific types of reactions that metals participate – since all metals inevitably get oxidised, they’re all going to be Redox Reactions.

Metals and Water

Let’s take a look and see what happens when Sodium reacts with water (choosing a highly reactive metal to start).

The standard thing that happens when metals react, results in the production of Hydroxide – which then turns into Sodium Hydroxide, and in water that’s going to be soluble. We also get the release of Hydrogen gas (that’s going to be in the gas state). You often receive a quick, rapid release of Hydrogen gas and when you get a highly reactive metal in water, you can sometimes get an explosion.

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This comes down to the level of energy which is released and the fact that the gas then billows out. Dr Nikhil doesn’t recommend putting too much Sodium and water in the school laboratory since it can be quite dangerous!

What to find out how metals react with acids and oxygen? Catch the rest of Nikhil’s revision lesson by watching the video below:

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