Word Equations

Metal elements will react with non-metal elements to produce new substances. When we name these substances we say the metal first then the non-metal as an ‘ide’:

e.g. Sodium + chlorine ® sodium chloride

Copy and complete the following word equations

Potassium + ? ® potassium oxide

Copper + chlorine ® ?

Iron + sulphur ® ?

Aluminium + ? ® aluminium iodide

Most metals will also react with water. They almost always form the metal hydroxide and hydrogen:

e.g. Sodium + water ® sodium hydroxide + hydrogen

Copy and complete the following word equations

Zinc + water ® ? + ?

Lithium + water ® ? + ?

Calcium + water ® ? + ?

Iron + water ® ? + ?

Metal hydroxides are usually alkali. This means that they react with acids. This is called neutralisation. They always form water and another product. Here are two examples of neutralisations:

Sodium hydroxide + hydrochloric acid ® sodium chloride + water

Potassium hydroxide + sulphuric acid ® potassium sulphate + water

Copy and complete the following word equations

Magnesium hydroxide + hydrochloric acid ® ? + ?

Sodium hydroxide + ? ® sodium sulphate + ?

? + hydrochloric acid ® potassium chloride + ?

Barium hydroxide + sulphuric acid ® ? + ?

Metal hydroxides will also react with nitric acid. Try to guess what the two products of the following equation might be.

Sodium hydroxide + nitric acid ® ? + ?