Question

Write the chemical equations for these word reactions?
Solid Aluminum metal reacts with liquid water to produce aluminum hydroxide and hydrogen gas.
Solid Aluminum oxide reacts with an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide to form aqueous sodium aluminate and liquid water.

Answer 1

We need to understand how to interpret a word reaction into its chemical equation. The reactant entities are on the left side of a chemical equation, while the products are on the right. To write the chemical equations and to later balance them, the first step is to understand the statement and write the equation using their respective symbols and follow certain rules to balance the equation.

Complete answer:
The two rules to be followed are as follows:
Identify each element found in the equation. Once the equation has been balanced, the number of atoms of each type of atom must be the same on both sides.
Once the equation has been balanced, the net charge must be the same on both sides.
Let's translate the provided statements into chemical equations and balance them while keeping the guidelines in mind.
In the presence of liquid water, aluminum hydroxide and hydrogen gas are formed.
Aluminum + Water → Aluminum hydroxide + Hydrogen gas
$2Al(s) + 6{H_2}O(l) \to 2Al{(OH)_3}(aq) + 3{H_2}(g)$
An aqueous sodium hydroxide solution interacts with solid aluminum oxide to create sodium hydroxide and liquid water.
Aluminum oxide + sodium hydroxide → sodium aluminate + Water
$A{l_2}{O_3}(s) + NaOH(aq) \to NaA{l_2}{O_3}(aq) + {H_2}O(l)$

Note:
Note that to solve questions of these types, identifying the elements and the rules to balance them must be kept in mind. Not only will knowing the valencies of each element assist to write the chemical formula but understanding the chemical state of the compound, i.e., whether it is in the solid, aqueous, or gaseous state, aid to write the chemical formula.