Does zinc react with NaOH when its not heated?

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Answer 1 · 2017-09-01T05:59:32

Zinc is an active metal.......

It will slowly be oxidized by hydroxide, to give $Zn^(2+)$ and dihydrogen gas......

And we could write the redox couple....

$Zn rarr Zn^(2+) + 2e^(-)$ $(i)$

$H_2O + e^(-) rarr 1/2H_2(g)uarr + HO^-$ $(ii)$

And so we take $(i) + 2xx(ii)$ to get......

$Zn(s) + 2H_2O(l)rarrZn^(2+) + 2HO^(-) + H_2(g)$

In conc. hydroxide it would probably from the zincate ion, $[Zn(OH)_4]^(2-)$ .....

$Zn(s) + 2HO^(-) + 2H_2O(l) rarrZn(OH)_4^(2-) +H_2(g)uarr$