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Water-reactive substances [1] are those that spontaneously undergo a chemical reaction with water, often noted as generating flammable gas. [2] Some are highly reducing in nature. [ 3 ] Notable examples include alkali metals , lithium through caesium , and alkaline earth metals , magnesium through barium .
The most reactive metals, such as sodium, will react with cold water to produce hydrogen and the metal hydroxide: 2 Na (s) + 2 H 2 O (l) →2 NaOH (aq) + H 2 (g) Metals in the middle of the reactivity series, such as iron , will react with acids such as sulfuric acid (but not water at normal temperatures) to give hydrogen and a metal salt ...
Metal aqua ions are often involved in the formation of complexes. The reaction may be written as pM x+ (aq) + qL y− → [M p L q] (px-qy)+ In reality this is a substitution reaction in which one or more water molecules from the first hydration shell of the metal ion are replaced by ligands, L. The complex is described as an inner-sphere complex.
A reaction of potassium metal with water. Hydrogen is produced, and with potassium vapor, burns with a pink or lilac flame. Strongly alkaline potassium hydroxide is formed in solution. This reaction is exothermic and releases sufficient heat to ignite the resulting hydrogen in the presence of oxygen.
Metals are insoluble in water or organic solvents, unless they undergo a reaction with them. Typically, this is an oxidation reaction that robs the metal atoms of their itinerant electrons, destroying the metallic bonding. However metals are often readily soluble in each other while retaining the metallic character of their bonding.
In aqueous solutions, redox potential is a measure of the tendency of the solution to either gain or lose electrons in a reaction. A solution with a higher (more positive) reduction potential than some other molecule will have a tendency to gain electrons from this molecule (i.e. to be reduced by oxidizing this other molecule) and a solution with a lower (more negative) reduction potential ...
The alkali metals also react with water to form strongly alkaline hydroxides and thus should be handled with great care. The heavier alkali metals react more vigorously than the lighter ones; for example, when dropped into water, caesium produces a larger explosion than potassium if the same number of moles of each metal is used.
Illustration of a redox reaction Sodium chloride is formed through the redox reaction of sodium metal and chlorine gas. Redox reactions can be understood in terms of the transfer of electrons from one involved species (reducing agent) to another (oxidizing agent). In this process, the former species is oxidized and the latter is reduced. Though ...