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Reactions of Aluminium
Reactions with water
A thin layer of oxide prevents aluminium being attack by water.
Reactions with air
A thin layer of oxide prevents aluminium being attack by air. Aluminium will burn in oxygen with a brillian white flame to form aluminium trixode.
  4Al + 3O2(g)2Al2O3(s)
Reactions with halogens
Aluminium reacts vigorously with all halogens to form aluminium halides.
  2Al(s) + 3Cl2(g)2AlCl3(s)
  2Al(s) + 3Br2(l)AlBr26(s)
  2Al(s) + 3I2(l)Al2I6(s)
Reactions with acids
Aluminium dissolves readily in dilute suphuric acid for form solutions containing the Al(III) ion and hydroden gas.
  2Al(s) + 3H2SO4(aq)2Al3+(aq) + 2SO42-(aq) + 3H2(g)
The reaction with dilute hydrochloric acid also yield the same Al(III) ion and hydrogen gas.
  2Al(s) + 6HCl(aq)2Al3+(aq) + 6Cl-(aq) + 3H2(g)
Reactions with bases
Aluminium dissolves in sodium hydroxide to yield hydrogen gas and aluminates of the form [Al(OH)4]-.
  2Al(s) + 2NaOH(aq) + 6H2O(l)2Na+(aq) + 2[Al(OH)4]- + 3H2(g)
Reduction Potentials
Balanced half-reaction E0 / V
Al3+ + 3e-Al(s) -1.662
Al3+ + 2e-Al+ -2.76
Al+ + e- Al(s)) -0.55
AlO2- + 4H+ + 3e-Al(s) + 2H2O -1.262
Al(OH)3(s) + 3e-Al(s) + 3OH- -2.31
AlF63- + 3e-Al(s) + 6F- -2.07