I\'ve asked this question three times and no one has been able to help me. Pleas
ID: 915342 • Letter: I
Question
I've asked this question three times and no one has been able to help me. Please help!
I performed the following reactions in a lab. I am being asked to state whether or not there was a presence or abscence of metal oxides. Please help me where there is any presence/absence of them.
Secondly, it asks, "does the inclination to form a metal oxide have any relationship to that metal's acitivity?"
Please help me answer these! Thank you!
HCl (aq) + Al (s)
Fe(s) + HCl (aq)
Mg(s) + HCl (aq)
Zn(s) + HCl (aq)
Fe (s) + H2SO4 (aq)
Mg (s) + H2SO4 (aq)
Zn(s) + H2SO4 (aq)
Copper II Nitrate (aq) + Zinc(s)
Explanation / Answer
6HCl (aq) + 2Al (s) = 2AlCl3 + 3H2
2Fe(s) + 6HCl (aq) = 2FeCl3 + 3H2
Mg(s) + 2HCl (aq) = MgCl2 + H2
Zn(s) + 2HCl (aq) = ZnCl2 + H2
Fe (s) + H2SO4 (aq) = FeSO4 + H2
Mg (s) + H2SO4 (aq) = MgSO4 + H2
Zn(s) + H2SO4 (aq) = ZnSO4 + H2
Copper II Nitrate (aq) + Zinc(s) = Zn(NO3)2 + Cu(s)
The reaction depends on reactivity series as shown below.
Most reactive
1. Potassium
2. Sodium
3. Calcium
4.magnesium
5.aluminum
6.Zinc
7.Iron
8. Tin
9. Lead
10. Copper
11. Silver
12. Gold
13. Platinum
Least reactive
If a metal is exposed to air or oxygen it gets oxidized to its oxides on the surface of the metal creating a coated surface of its oxide. This also depends on the redox potential of the metal. Commercially available metals used in the laboratory may contain its oxides to some extend. Though, as shown above the oxides can not form during reaction with acids, it might be present in the original sample.
The reactivity of the metal will be different if it is contaminated with its oxides because the oxides will also react with acid but the product will be different and result of the experiment will vary if it were pure metal. The presence of metal oxide will reduce the reactivity of the metals. The acid treatment is actually used for purifying the metals from its oxides contaminant.