Question

What type of reaction is $\mathrm{Al}+\mathrm{NaOH}$? What are the products formed?

Answer 1

Displacement reaction:

• “The reactions in which a more reactive element displaces another element from its compounds are called displacement reactions.”

Reaction of Aluminum with Sodium hydroxide:

• The reaction of Aluminum with Sodium hydroxide ($\mathrm{Al}+\mathrm{NaOH}$) gives a salt and Hydrogen gas.

$2\mathrm{Al}\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+2\mathrm{NaOH}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)+6{\mathrm{H}}_2\mathrm{O}\left(\mathrm{l}\right)\to 2\mathrm{Na}\left[\mathrm{Al}{\left(\mathrm{OH}\right)}_4\right]\left(\mathrm{s}\right)+3{\mathrm{H}}_2\left(\mathrm{l}\right)$

• In this reaction, Aluminum displaces Sodium from its compound, therefore, it is a displacement reaction.