Metals and Oxygen!

Learning Objective: How do metals react with oxygen?

Describe a metal-acid
State what is formed Compare the reactions of reaction with a word
when metals react with different metals with equation and a particle
acids. dilute acids. diagram.

Keywords:
• oxidation
• reactive
• reactivity
RECALL WORD EQUATIONS: In your books complete the following
equations…
1. Hydrochloric Acid + Zinc  _______ + ________
2. Hydrochloric Acid + ____ Iron Chloride + ____
3. __________ Acid + Lead  ____ Chloride +____
4. Hydrochloric Acid + Copper 
5. Hydrochloric Acid + Silver 
6. Hydrochloric Acid + Gold 
7. Sulfuric Acid + Zinc  _______ + Hydrogen
8. Sulfuric Acid + ____ Iron Sulfate + ____
9. __________ Acid + Lead  ____ Sulfate +____
10. Nitric Acid + Zinc  _______ + Hydrogen
11. Nitric Acid + ____ Iron Nitrate + ____
12. __________ Acid + Lead  ____ Nitrate +____
 PEER 1. Hydrochloric Acid + Zinc  Zinc _______
Chloride + ________
Hydrogen

CHECK 2. Hydrochloric Acid + ____

Iron Iron Chloride + Hydrogen
____
3. __________
Hydrochloric Acid + Lead  ____ Lead Chloride +____ Hydrogen

4. Hydrochloric Acid + Copper  Silver does not react

5. Hydrochloric Acid + Silver  Silver does not react
TOTAL
6. Hydrochloric Acid + Gold  Gold does not react
MARKS = 21
7. Sulfuric Acid + Zinc  _______
Zinc Sulfate + Hydrogen

8. Sulfuric Acid + ____

Iron Iron ______
Sulfate + ____
Hydrogen

9. __________
Sulfuric Acid + Lead  ____ Lead Sulfate +____ Hydrogen

10. Nitric Acid + Zinc  _______

Zinc Nitrate + Hydrogen

11. Nitric Acid + ____

Iron Iron ______
Nitrate + ____
Hydrogen

12. __________
Nitric Acid + Lead  ____ Lead Nitrate +____
Hydrogen
 RECAP: Metals and Acids
Acids react with most metals, a salt and hydrogen gas is produced.
This is the general word equation for the reaction:
metal + acid → salt + hydrogen
Salts are neutral. The salt produced depends upon the metal and the acid.

Hydrochloric acid chloride

Nitric acid nitrate
Sulfuric acid sulfate

e.g magnesium + hydrochloric acid → magnesium chloride + hydrogen

a. Calcium + hydrochloric acid  calcium chloride + hydrogen
b. Zinc + sulfuric acid  zinc sulfate + hydrogen
c. Iron + nitric acid  iron nitrate + hydrogen
 Something to think about….

• What do you think this image shows?

• How do you think this happens?

What happens when
we burn metals in
oxygen?
 Have you ever burned magnesium in the lab?
What did you see?

Magnesium burns vigorously. It reacts with

oxygen from the air. The product is
magnesium oxide.

magnesium + oxygen → magnesium oxide

The reaction of any metal with oxygen,

in which the substance combines with
oxygen, is an oxidation reaction.
 DEMO: Reactions of metals with oxygen
Metal Word Equation AND Symbol Equation
TASK: Observations
reacting (challenge) to represent the reaction
Watch the demo and complete the
results table.
iron

Challenge
Lithium reacts explosively with
oxygen in a Bunsen burner flame.
calcium
Use this information and your
observations above to predict the
reactivity of lithium
compared to the metals you have
sodium
observed in this practical. Explain
your answer.

magnesium
 DEMO: Reactions of metals with oxygen
Challenge: Lithium reacts Metal
Observations
Word Equation AND Symbol Equation
explosively with oxygen in a Bunsen reacting (challenge) to represent the reaction
burner flame. Use this information Burns - sparks iron + oxygen → iron oxide
and your observations above to iron
predict the reactivity of lithium 4Fe(s) +3O2(g) → 2Fe2O3(s)
compared to the metals you have
observed in this practical. Explain calcium + oxygen → calcium oxide
your answer. calcium
Burns vigorously –
2Cu(s) +O2(g) → 2CuO(s)
orange flame

sodium + oxygen → sodium oxide

sodium
Violent reaction –
4Na(s) +O2(g) → 2Na2O(s)
bright yellow flame
magnesium + oxygen →
magnesium oxide
magnesium Burns vigorously –
2Mg(s) +O2(g) → 2MgO(s)
bright white flame
What happens when metals react with oxygen?
What did you observe when we burned magnesium?

Magnesium burns vigorously. It reacts with oxygen from the air. The product is magnesium
oxide.

magnesium + oxygen → magnesium oxide

2Mg(s) +O2(g) → 2MgO(s)

In the balanced equation above, (s) and (g) are state symbols:
(s) means solid
(g) means gas

Magnesium reacts with oxygen even when you do not heat it. If you leave magnesium in the
air, its surface atoms react with oxygen. This forms a thin layer of magnesium oxide.
 State Symbols
State symbols are written in symbol equations to tell us the state of the
reactant and products in the reaction.

Symbol Meaning
(s) solid
(l) liquid
(g) gas
(aq) aqueous (dissolved in water)
 How do other metals react with oxygen?
If you sprinkle zinc powder into a Bunsen flame, you see bright-white sparks. Zinc oxide forms:

zinc + oxygen → magnesium oxide

2Zn(s) +O2(g) → 2ZnO(s)

There is a similar reaction with iron filings. The product is iron oxide.
Copper does not burn in a Bunsen flame. Instead, it forms black copper oxide on its surface.
copper + oxygen → copper oxide
2Cu(s) +O2(g) → 2CuO(s)

Gold is unreactive. It does not burn. Its surface atoms do not react with oxygen. This explains why gold
stays shiny.
 Class Practical: Flame Tests!
• We are going to test some different metals and create some metal oxides.

• To make metal oxides you need to heat the metals in the Bunsen burner flame.

• Complete the results table below.

Metal Colour observed

Sodium
Copper
Potassium
Lithium
 RESULTS:

Metal Colour observed

Sodium Yellow
Copper Green
Potassium Purple
Lithium Red
 QUICK CHECK QUESTIONS

Q1. State the product(s) in the

reaction of a metal with oxygen.
ANSWERS:
Q2. State what an oxidation Q1. Metal oxide
reaction is.
Q2. The reaction of any metal with oxygen, in

Q3. Write a word equation for zinc which the substance combines with oxygen, is an
reacting with oxygen. oxidation reaction.
Q3. Zinc + oxygen → zinc oxide
CHALLENGE: Write a balanced
Q4. 2Zn(s) +O2(g) → 2ZnO(s)
symbol equations for the reaction
in Q3. Include state symbols.
 How do reactions with acids and oxygen compare?
The reactivity of an element is its tendency to take part in chemical reactions. The greater the reactivity of
an element, the more easily it reacts with other substances, and the more vigorous its reactions.

Metal Reaction with dilute acid Reaction with oxygen

Magnesium reacts very vigorously burns vigorously
Zinc reacts steadily burns less vigorously
Iron reacts steadily burns
Lead reacts slowly do not burn; when heated, form layer of oxide
on surface
Copper no reaction do not burn; when heated, form layer of oxide
on surface
Gold Study the table
TASK: no above
reaction no reaction
and pick a task to complete below.
BRONZE: List the metals in the table in order of how vigorously they react with oxygen, starting
with the most reactive.
SILVER: Describe the trend/pattern in reactivity of metals with acid.
GOLD: Compare the reactivity of metals with acid and oxygen.
 How do reactions with acids and oxygen compare?
Metal Reaction with dilute acid Reaction with oxygen
Magnesium reacts very vigorously burns vigorously
Zinc reacts steadily burns less vigorously
Iron reacts steadily burns
Lead reacts slowly do not burn; when heated, form layer of oxide
on surface
Copper no reaction do not burn; when heated, form layer of oxide
on surface
Gold no reaction no reaction
Magnesium reacts vigorously with dilute acids. It also burns in oxygen. Magnesium
is a reactive metal. Gold does not react with dilute acids or with oxygen. It is
unreactive.
There is a pattern. Metals that react vigorously with dilute acids also react
vigorously with oxygen. Metals that do not react with dilute acids do not react
with oxygen.
 EXTENDED WRITTEN TASK
Write a paragraph to explain why some metals loose their
shine over time but gold does not.

Include examples of other metals and use word equations.

CHALLENGE: Include balanced symbol

equations and state symbols.
 SUMMARY QUESTIONS
1. Copy and complete the sentences below.

Some metals burn vigorously in air, for example, ____________. The products are metal
____________. Some metals form an oxide layer on their surface when heated, for example,
___________. Some metals, for example, do not react with oxygen. (4 marks)

2. Potassium reacts explosively with dilute hydrochloric acid. Predict how vigorously it reacts
with oxygen, and the products of the reaction. Explain your answer. (4 marks)

CHALLENGE: Write the balanced formula equation for the reaction of calcium with oxygen.
Include state symbols. (3 marks)

EXTENSION: Create a song or rap to describe patterns in the reactions of metals with acids
and oxygen. (6 marks)
 EXIT TICKET: TRUE OR FALSE?
TRUE
1. Metals combine with oxygen to form metal oxides.

2. Some metals will not react with oxygen. TRUE

3. Magnesium is less reactive than copper. FALSE

4. All metals rust in air. FALSE

5. Water is also formed when metals react with oxygen to form metal

oxides. FALSE

6. Air is a mixture containing oxygen. TRUE

7. All metals have to be heated before they will react with oxygen. FALSE