Question

Give a reason for the following.

Oxides of highly reactive metals are very stable and cannot be reduced by common reducing agent.

Answer 1

Oxides of highly reactive metals are very stable because these metals have a strong affinity for oxygen. Therefore, the metal – oxygen bond is very strong and common reducing agents like carbon or carbon monoxide cannot remove oxygen from these oxides.

Hence, highly reactive metals are generally extracted by electrolysis of their molten compounds.