How do metals react with oxygen? Setting the scene Some metals react more easily with oxygen than others. You can usually tell which metals react more easily by watching them burn. Aims In this practical you will: react metals with oxygen by burning them in air record your observations to decide which metal reacts most easily with oxygen. You will be working scientifically to: make and record experimental observations interpret your observations to decide which metal reacts most vigorously present explanations of your conclusions. Safety Magnesium powder is highly flammable. Do not look directly at burning magnesium. Iron filings can be irritating to eyes. Calcium is highly flammable. Do not look directly at burning calcium. Wear eye protection throughout the practical demonstration and follow all the instructions your teacher gives you. Your teacher may ask you to sit behind a safety screen for parts of the demonstration. Equipment and materials eye protection magnesium ribbon iron wool or filings calcium (in test tubes) copper strips tongs test tubes heatproof mat Bunsen burner © Oxford University Press 2014 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. Hypothesis What is the product when a metal reacts with oxygen? Prediction Predict the product of the reaction between magnesium and oxygen. Method 1 Collect one sample of each metal and a pair of tongs. 2 Holding each sample using the pair of tongs, heat in a blue flame for 30 seconds to a minute. 3 Record your observations about each reaction in an appropriate results table. 4 Write an equation to represent the reactions you have seen. Include state symbols. Results Record your observations for each reaction in a suitable results table. This table must include a column to write in the equation of the chemical reaction observed. Choose from the following list of chemical formulae (use your Periodic Table to help you): Mg Fe2O3 Mn CO Co CO2 Cu CuO Ca C Co2O3 F MnO Fe MgO O2 CaO You must include state symbols in your equations. Questions 1 List the metals in order of how well they reacted with oxygen. Start with the most reactive metal. © Oxford University Press 2014 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. 2 Explain how your observations helped you to put the metals into the order in Question 1. 3 Compare your results with your observations from the demonstration of the combustion of magnesium in pure oxygen. State the differences between the two reactions and suggest a reason for them. Extension 1 Explain what reactive means. 2 Using your observations, complete the following sentences: is more reactive than reactive than . I know this because © Oxford University Press 2014 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements This resource sheet may have been changed from the original. but less 3 Lithium reacts explosively with oxygen in a Bunsen burner flame. Use this information and your observations above to predict the reactivity of lithium compared to the metals you have observed in this practical. Explain your answer. © Oxford University Press 2014 www.oxfordsecondary.co.uk/acknowledgements This resource sheet may have been changed from the original.
