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Asked by ♥ M O N I C A ♥ to Adrian, Gaia, Jim, Scott, Vicky on 11 Mar 2016.
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Adrian Buzatu answered on 11 Mar 2016:
Reactions means exchanging atoms. Do metals really react with water? I am not so sure. Maybe they react with some substances that exist in water that would get them corroded.
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Scott Lawrie answered on 11 Mar 2016:
Hydrogen and oxygen in the water are very reactive. Other elements really want to get hold of either hydrogen or oxygen (carbon, too)! It’s because they form strong bonds with other elements by either giving up, taking away or sharing their electrons. For example, group 1 of the periodic table has the most reactive ‘alkali’ metals – things that you may have played with at school like sodium or potassium. They are so reactive because they only have one electron orbiting on the very edge of the atom. That single electron is very easy to remove and attach with either hydrogen or oxygen in the water! The lower down you go in group 1, the more reactive they are because that outer electron is further and further away from the nucleus, so is easier and easier to remove. So for example, Lithium at the top smokes a bit in water, whereas Caesium (the most reactive element) will explode a bath tub of water!
I play with caesium at work every day on my machine and I have to be extra careful not to touch any, because even the moisture on my hand would react violently with caesium and it would blow my hand off! 👿
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