The metals

The metals are the elements which have less than four electrons in their outermost energy levels  , During the chemical reactions the atoms of the metallic elements tend to lose their outermost electrons , and change into the positive ions .

The positive ions carry a number of the positive charges equal to the number of the lost electrons , The electronic structure of the positive ion is similar to that of the nearest preceding inert gas in the modern periodic table .

Potassium and Sodium is the most reactive

Some metals such as Magnesium ( Mg ) and iron ( Fe ) react with oxygen giving the metals oxides which are called ” Basic oxides ” , The Basic oxides are the metallic oxides , some of them dissolve in the water forming alkaline solutions .

Some metal oxides ( such as magnesium oxides ) dissolve in the water giving alkalis ( metal hydroxide ) which turns litmus solution into blue , Some metals oxides such as iron II oxide do not dissolve in the water . All alkalis are bases , while not all the bases are alkalis .

The reaction of the metals with the water depends on the position of the metal in the chemical activity series , The chemical activity series is a series in which metals are arranged in a descending order according to their chemical activity .

The reaction of some metals with the water .

Potassium and Sodium react instantly with water and hydrogen gas evolves which burns with pop sound . Calcium and Magnesium react very slowly with cold water . Zinc and Iron react with hot water vapour at high temperature only . Copper and Silver do not react with water .

Some active metals such as magnesium ( Mg ) and zinc ( Zn ) react with dilute acids ( as hydrochloric acid ) giving salt of acid and hydrogen gas is evolved . The inactive metals such as copper ( Cu ) do not react with dilute acids and no gas evolves .