When different metals are placed in water:

Order of
Products:
reactivity

Metal:

Reaction:

Potassium

Violent reaction with cold water. Floats and catches 1st - most
fire.
reactive.

Sodium

Very vigorous reaction with cold water. Floats. Can

be lit with a lighted splint.

2nd.

Sodium hydroxide, NaOH and hydroge

gas.

Calcium

Less vigorous with cold water.

3rd.

Calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2 and

hydrogen gas.

Magnesiu
m

Very slow with cold water, but vigorous with steam. 4th.

Magnesium oxide, MgO and hydrogen

gas.

Zinc

Quite slow with steam.

5th.

Zinc oxide, ZnO and hydrogen gas.

Iron

Slow with steam.

Copper

No reaction with steam.

6th.
Iron oxide, Fe203 and hydrogen gas.
7th - least
reactive.

Potassium hydroxide, KOH and hydro

gas.

Note: The first three in the table above produce hydroxides and the rest, if they react, produce
oxides.
The production of the hydroxide (alkali) can be tested by adding universal indicator (UI) to the
reaction vessel - UI changes from green to purple in the presence of these
hydroxides.
To test for the release of hydrogen gas, place a lighted splint over the reacting
metal - if it 'pops' then hydrogen is present.
In the case of potassium, this reaction produces enough heat to set alight the hydrogen gas
itself..

Reaction of metals with hydrochloric acid

Metal:

Reaction with hydrochloric acid:

Order of
reactivity:

Products:

Magnesium

Vigorously reacts with a stream of gas

evolving.

1st - most
reactive.

Magnesium chloride, MgCl2 and

hydrogen gas.

Zinc

Quite slow reaction with a steady stream of

gas evolving.

2nd.

Zinc chloride, ZnCl2 and hydrogen ga

Iron

Slow reaction with a gentle stream of gas

evolving.

3rd.

Iron chloride, FeCl2 and hydrogen ga

Lead

Very slow and acid must be concentrated.

4th.

Lead chloride, PbCl2 and hydrogen g

Copper

No reaction.

5th - least
reactive.

If we compare the results of the reaction of metals

with acid with those of the reactions with oxygen
and water, we note that the same order of reactivity
is repeated.

Solubility of salts
Carbonates: Sodium, potassium and ammonium
carbonates are soluble. All other carbonates are
insoluble.
Chlorides: All chlorides are soluble
for silver and lead chlorides are insoluble.

except

Nitrates: All nitrates are soluble.

Sulphates: All sulphates are soluble except for
barium and lead sulphates are insoluble. Calcium
sulphate is only slightly soluble.
All sodium, potassium and ammonium salts are
soluble.

How to prepare INSOLUBLE SALT

(precipitation method)
1. Place a known volume of one soluble salt solution in
a beaker.
2. Keep adding the other soluble salt solution and stir to
mix until no more precipitate forms.
3. Filter out the precipitate.
4. The residue is the insoluble salt you are trying to get.
5. Wash residue with water.
6. Dry the insoluble salt crystals.

How to prepare SOLUBLE SALT by titration

method (using acid + alkali).
1. Place a known volume of acid (e.g. HCl) in a
conical flask.
2. Add an indicator to the acid (if phenolphthalein is
added, the colour will be colourless).
3. Add alkali (e.g. NaOH) from a burette until
indictaor changes colour (phenolphthalein will
change colour from colourless to pink). This is the
end point of titration and neutralisation is
completed.
4. Record volume of alkali used.
5. Repeat whole process again with the known
volumes of acid and alkali to produce salt
solution (But do not add indicator).
6.Heat salt solution by evaporation method to
evaporate all water and obtain salt crystals. If salt is
not heat stable, crystallisation method is used
instead to obtain salt cystals.

7. Dry the salt cystals.

How to prepare SOLUBLE SALT using acid to

react with excess metal/ insoluble metal
oxide/ insoluble metal carbonate
1.Heat some acid in a beaker.
2.Keep adding metal/ insoluble metal oxide/
insoluble metal carbonate and stir at same time
until excess metal/ metal oxide/ metal carbonate
remains.
3.Filter mixture and throw away the residue which is
the excess metal/ metal oxide/ metal carbonate.
4. Keep the filtrate which is the soluble salt solution.
5. Heat filtrate to evaporate most of the water until a
saturated solution is formed by crystallisation.
6. Leave to cool and dry until salt crystals are
formed.
7. Dry the salt crystals.

Acid + Metal Soluble salt + Hydrogen

2HCl + Zn ZnCl2 + H2
Acid + Insoluble metal oxide Soluble salt + Water
2HCl + FeO FeCl2 + H2O
Acid + Insoluble carbonate Soluble salt + Carbon
dioxide + Water
2HCl + ZnCO3 ZnCl2 + CO2 + H2O

REACTION EQUATIONS
Acid + Base Salt + water
Acid + Carbonate Salt + water + carbon
dioxie
Acid + Metal Hydrogen Gas
Base + Ammonium Salt Salt + Water +
Ammonium Gas
Property of Alkali
Alkalis have a bitter taste and feels soapy.
Alkalis turn Red litmus to blue
Alkalis react with acids to form a salt and
water

REACTIONS
REACTIONS
OF METALS
OF METALS
WITH HYDROCHLORIC
WITH WATER ACID