| Reactions of Samarium |
 Reactions with water |
| Samarium is quite electropositive and reacts slowly with cold water and quite quickly with hot water to form samarium hydroxide
and hydrogen gas.
|
2Sm(s) + 6H2O 2Sm(OH)3(aq) + 3H2(g) |
| Reactions with air |
| Samarium tarnishes slowly in air and burns readily to form samarium (III) oxide. |
| 4Sm(s) + 3O2(g)2Sm2O3(s) |
| Reactions with halogens |
| Samarium reacts with all the halogens to form samarium(III) halides. |
| 2Sm(s) + 3F2(g)2SmF3(s) |
| 2Sm(s) + 3Cl2(g)2SmCl3(s) |
| 2Sm(s) + 3Br2(g)2SmBr3(s) |
| 2Sm(s) + 3I2(g)2SmI3(s) |
| Reactions with acids |
| Samarium dissolves readily in dilute sulphuric acid to form solutions containing the yellow aquated Sm(III) ion together with hydrogen gas.
|
| 2Sm(s) + 3H2SO4(aq)2Sm3+(aq) + 3SO42-(aq) + 3H2(g) |
