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Metals in the reactivity series can react with water to produce a metal hydroxide and hydrogen gas.

The reactivity series ranks metals in order of their reactivity, from the most reactive to the least reactive. This ranking is crucial for predicting how a metal will interact with water. The most reactive metals, such as potassium, sodium, and calcium, are capable of reacting with water at room temperature. Upon contact with water, these metals react vigorously, generating a metal hydroxide along with hydrogen gas.

For example, when sodium ($\text{Na}$) interacts with water ($\text{H}_2\text{O}$), it produces sodium hydroxide ($\text{NaOH}$) and hydrogen gas ($\text{H}_2$) according to the following reaction:

This reaction is highly exothermic, meaning it releases a significant amount of heat. The heat generated can be sufficient to ignite the hydrogen gas produced, resulting in a flame.

Conversely, metals that are less reactive, such as magnesium, aluminum, zinc, and iron, do not react with water at room temperature. However, they will react with steam to form a metal oxide and hydrogen gas. For instance, when magnesium ($\text{Mg}$) reacts with steam ($\text{H}_2\text{O}$), it produces magnesium oxide ($\text{MgO}$) and hydrogen gas ($\text{H}_2$) as shown in the following reaction:

The least reactive metals, including copper, silver, and gold, do not react with water at all. These metals are positioned at the bottom of the reactivity series.

Understanding how metals interact with water is essential in various fields of chemistry. This knowledge aids in predicting the outcomes of chemical reactions and comprehending the properties of different metals. Furthermore, it plays a critical role in numerous industrial processes, such as the extraction of metals and the synthesis of their compounds.