Metals & Non-metals

Chemical Properties of Metals

What happens when Metals are burnt in Air?

When metals are burnt in air, respective metal oxides are formed.

Metal + Oxygen → Metal Oxide

Most of the metals show this chemical property, i.e. they combine with oxygen and form respective metallic oxides.

Example:

What happens when sodium is burnt in air

(1) When sodium is heated in air, it starts burning with orange flame and forms a mixture of sodium oxide and sodium peroxide.

Sodium starts burning immediately in air when heated or put under a flame.

What happens when Lithium is burnt in air

(2) When lithium is heated or burnt in air, it starts burning with red-tinted flame and gives lithium oxide.

Lithium also starts burning immediately with red tinted flame when heated or put under flame.

What happens when Potassium is burnt in air

(3) When potassium is burnt in air, it gives potassium peroxide and potassium super oxide.

Potassium melts immediately when heated or put under flame.

Storage of Sodium, Potassium and Lithium

Since, sodium, potassium and lithium reacts vigorously with oxygen, these metals are kept immersed in kerosene oil to prevent any accidental reaction with oxygen or water.

What happens when Magnesium is burnt in air

(4) When magnesium is burnt or heated in the presence of air, it burns with dazzling light and gives magnesium oxide.

What happens when Aluminium is burnt in air

(5) When aluminium metal is heated or burnt in air, it forms aluminium oxide.

In this reaction Aluminium oxide is formed as a thin layer over aluminium metal. This layer prevent further oxidation of aluminium.

What happens when Zinc is burnt in air

(6) When zinc is heated in air, first zinc starts forming vapour and a thin layer of zinc oxide is formed over it.

What happens when Lead is burnt in air

(7) When lead is burnt in air, it gives lead oxide. This lead oxide is formed in the form of a thin layer over lead metal.

What happens when Copper is burnt in air

(8) When copper is heated or burnt in the presence of air, a black coloured layer of copper (II) oxide is formed over it.

Copper does not burn in air, but it gets coated with a black coloured layer of copper (II) oxide.

What happens when Iron is burnt in air

(9) When iron fillings are burnt in air, it burns vigorously with sprinkled in the flame of burner. Iron rod gets hot only when burnt in air. Iron does not react with oxygen present in air and do not react with oxygen even on heating.