Chemical reactions Flashcards
What does metal + oxygen make
A metal oxide
Oxidation in terms of oxygen?
Element/ compound that has been oxidised = gained oxygen
Reduction in terms of oxygen?
Element/ compound that has been reduced = lost oxygen?
How to test a metal’s reactivity?
React with water at room temperature:
Potassium + sodium + lithium = react very rapid
Calcium = fairly rapid reaction
Lower metals don’t react
How to test a less reactive metal’s reactivity?
React with dilute acid at room temp
Potassium + sodium + lithium = dangerously explosive
Calcium = extremely rapid
Magnesium = rapid
Zinc = fairly rapid
Iron = slow
Copper = doesn’t react
What determines a metal’s reactivity?
Their ability to lose electrons and form positive ions
How does the reactivity change in group 1 metals?
As you go down the group = more reactive
Further down = more shells
More shells means less electrostatic attraction between nucleus and the reacting electron
Therefore it’s easier for the electron to react
How to extract metal from metal oxides?
Using displacement reactions
Why do we use carbon to extract metals?
It’s cheap
If the metal is less reactive than carbon eg zinc, iron and copper
Example of extracting metal
Carbon + iron oxide —> carbon dioxide + iron
What elements are reduced and oxidised in terms of oxygen when extracting metals?
More reactive element eg carbon displaces the less reactive metal from its oxide compound
It is therefore oxidised
Metal removed from its metal oxide compound so it’s reduced
Oxidation in terms of electrons
Losing electrons
Reduction in terms of electrons
Gaining electrons
How to find what elements have been reduced or oxidised (electrons) in an equation?
Write the symbol equation
Write the ions part of each compound
Compare them to before and after the reaction happens
Acids
pH below 7
Produce H+ ions when dissolved in water
Examples of acids
Hydrochloric acid
Sulfuric acid
Nitric acid
Formula for hydrochloric acid
HCl
Formula for sulfuric acid
H₂SO₄