6.

5 Metals and non-metals react with oxygen

Fuels combust with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide
and water
Oxford Science 9 – Chapter 6
Do Now Activity: On a stick note

Write down the three different chemical reactions that we

have learnt about acids.

Include reactants and products.

Then hand in the sticky note.

Reactions involving oxygen
• Oxygen makes up 21% of our atmosphere.

• It is used in cellular respiration and powers our metabolism.

• Key component of exothermic chemical reactions.

 Metals reacting with oxygen

Word equation: metal + oxygen  metal oxide

Example equation: magnesium + oxygen  magnesium oxide

Chemical equation: Mg + O2  MgO

This reaction produces a lot of heat and a bright light.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnFzHt6l4z8
More examples

Word equation: iron + oxygen  iron oxide

Chemical equation: Fe + O2  FeO

This is a slow reaction that produces heat. It also makes rust.

Iron oxide is porous which allows the chemical reaction to continue.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHRoGHOu7N0
 Non-metals reacting with oxygen

Non-metals (such as carbon, nitrogen, hydrogen and phosphorus)

can also react with oxygen.

The results are molecular compounds not ionic compounds.

hydrogen + oxygen  water

carbon + oxygen  carbon dioxide

These reactions produce non-metal oxides.

Combustion reactions
• These are when non-metals react with oxygen to produce
heat and light energy (seen as a flame)

• The most useful combustion reactions involve fuels.

• Fuel: substance which reacts with oxygen to release a large

but controllable amount of chemical energy.
General word equation
• Fuel + oxygen  carbon dioxide + water

• Common fuels are hydrocarbons which consist of hydrogen and

carbon bonded together.
• E.g. coal, petroleum oil
When oxygen is limited
• Hydrocarbon + lots of oxygen  carbon dioxide + water

• Hydrocarbon + little oxygen  carbon monoxide + water

• Carbon monoxide is a dangerous gas as it replaces the oxygen in our

blood and can cause suffocation.
Your turn

Oxford Book Questions 6.5

Q 1 – 7 page 121