Question

What is the action of water on aluminium? Write the equation of the chemical reaction involved.

Answer 1

Aluminium metal does not react with water under ordinary conditions because of the presence of a thin (but tough) layer of aluminium oxide on its surface. Aluminium reacts with steam to form aluminium oxide and hydrogen gas.

\[\ce{\underset{Aluminium}{2Al_{(s)}} + \underset{Steam}{3H2O_{(g)}} -> \underset{Aluminium oxide}{Al2O3_{(s)}} + \underset{Hydrogen}{3H2_{(g)}}}\]