active metal

[datdat]

---

Members do not see this ad.

could anyone explain what's the active and inactive metals are?

 

[hausee]

active metal you mean like Na, K etc? ready to give out their e- very easily.

 

[sixkiller]

active metal you mean like Na, K etc? ready to give out their e- very easily.

Also to the OP:


Actually, Na, K, Li, Rb, Cs, Ca, Sr, Ba are Very Active Metals.

Active Metals are Mg, Al, Sn, Pb, Zn, Cd, Fe, Co, Mn, Cr, and Ni.


Inactive Metals are Cu, Hg, Pt, Ag, and Au.

Most common way of distinguishing very active from active metals is that very active metals displace hydrogen gas from water at room temperature; also yielding hydroxide ions in the process.

Active metals are unable to displace hydrogen gas from water at room temperature (although Mg, Al, Mn, and Zn are able to produce hydrogen gas from steam). Active metals only displace hydrogen gas from aqueous acid solution.

Inactive metals do not displace hydrogen from either water or aqueous acid solution because they have negative oxidation potentials. Active metals do no react with oxygen either. Cu and Ag do displace nitrogen oxides from nitric acid solutions but not hydrogen. *Ag tranishes due to reacting with trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere and the tarnish is largely composed of Ag2S*

*By looking at oxidation potential alone Mg, Mn and Al should theoretically be able to displace hydrogen from water at room temperature. However, Mg, Mn and Al form insoluble oxides that prevent this process from ocurring (for all practical purposes such a displacement of hydrogen gas does not occur within a reasonable time frame). However solid Mg, Al, and Mn cannot be plated at the cathode of an electrolytic cell from the electrolysis of aqueous solutions of Mg++ Mn++ and Al+++ because their reduction potentials are more negative than that of water and thus water is preferentially reduced at the cathode. Very active metals all have reduction potentials less than water and thus cannot be plated at the cathode of an electrolytic cell following electrolysis of the aqueous solution*

**Aqueous solutions of all other active metals can be plate the active metal at the cathode of an electrolytic cell following electrolysis because their reduction potentials are greater than water**