Burning in air
Metals combine with oxygen.
A dazzling flame
Magnesium burns in air with a dazzling white flame.
What does the metal combine with in air?
What this lesson covers
The idea
Almost all metals combine with oxygen to form metal oxides: Metal + Oxygen → Metal oxide.
A dazzling flame
Magnesium burns in air with a dazzling white flame.
What does the metal combine with in air?
- Oxygen
- Only the dust
- Nothing, it just melts
Metals meet oxygen
Press Next step.
Metal plus oxygen
Magnesium, copper and aluminium all combine with oxygen and form oxides. Almost all metals do this. The general pattern is: Metal + Oxygen gives Metal oxide.
Almost all metals combine with oxygen to form metal oxides: Metal + Oxygen gives Metal oxide.
Notes
Almost all metals combine with oxygen: Metal + Oxygen gives Metal oxide.
Check yourself
Metal + Oxygen gives ...
Copper heated in air forms a black oxide. Its name is ...
In 4Al + 3O₂ gives 2Al₂O₃, how many oxygen atoms are on the right side?
Answer: 6
2 × Al₂O₃ means 2 × 3 = 6 oxygen atoms, matching 3 × 2 = 6 on the left.
Which statement is right?
- a metal hydroxide. A hydroxide forms when a soluble metal oxide dissolves in water.
- a pure metal. Combining with oxygen gives a compound, the metal oxide.
- a metal oxide — correct. Yes!
- copper(II) oxide — correct. Yes!
- copper sulphide. Copper sulphide would need sulphur; heating copper in air gives copper(II) oxide.
- copper carbonate. Basic copper carbonate is the green coat copper gets in moist air, not the black oxide from heating.
- No metal combines with oxygen. Almost all metals combine with oxygen to form metal oxides.
- Almost all metals combine with oxygen to form metal oxides — correct. Yes!
- Only magnesium combines with oxygen. Copper and aluminium also combine with oxygen.