| Reactions of Strontium |
 Reactions with water |
| Strontium reacts slowly with water. to form strontium hydroxide, Sr(OH)2 and hydrogen gas. The strontium metal sinks in water and after a short while bubbles of hydrogen are evident, stuck to the surface of the metal.
|
Sr(s) + 2H2O(g) Sr(OH)2(aq) + H2(g) |
| Reactions with air |
| Strontium is a silvery white metal. The surface of strontium metal is covered with a thin layer of oxide that helps protect
the metal from attack by air, but to a lesser extent than the corresponding layer in magnesium. Once ignited, strontium metal burns in air to give a mixture of white strontium oxide and strontium nitride.
|
| 2Sr(s) + O2(g)2SrO(s) |
| 3Sr(s) + N2(g)Sr3N2(s) |
| Reactions with halogens |
| Strontium is very reactive towards chlorine, bromine and iodine and burns to form strontium(II) dihalides. The reaction with bromine takes place at about 400°C and that with iodine at a dull red heat.
|
| Sr(s) + Cl2(g)SrCl2(s) |
| Sr(s) + Br2(g)SrBr2(s) |
| Sr(s) + I2(g)SrI2(s) |
| Reactions with acids |
| Strontium dissolves readily in dilute or concentrated hydrochloric acid to form solutions containing the aquated Sr(II) ion together with hydrogen gas.
|
| Sr(s) + 2HCl(aq)Sr2+(aq) + 2Cl-(aq) + H2(g) |
Sr(s)