Question

Name the following:

a. A metal which reacts with steam evolving hydrogen gas.

Answer 1

The reaction of iron with steam:

• Iron is least reactive as compared to sodium and potassium.
• Iron metal does not react with water under normal conditions.
• Iron metal reacts with steam vigorously to form iron oxide and hydrogen gas.
• The balanced chemical reaction can be written as:

Balanced Chemical Equation: $\underset{\mathrm{Iron}}{3\mathrm{Fe}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Steam}}{4{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}\to \underset{\mathrm{Ferric}\mathrm{oxide}}{{\mathrm{Fe}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3\left(\mathrm{s}\right)}+\underset{\mathrm{Hydrogen}}{4{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{g}\right)}$

Therefore, iron reacts with steam evolving hydrogen gas.