Lead - 82Pb: reactions of elements
Reaction of lead with air
The surface of metallic lead is protected by a thin layer of lead oxide, PbO. Only upon heating lead to 600-800°C does lead react with oxygen in air to from lead oxide, PbO.
2Pb(s) + O2(g) → 2PbO(s)
Finely divided lead powder is pyrophoric, however, meaning it is a fire risk.
Reaction of lead with water
The surface of metallic lead is protected by a thin layer of lead oxide, PbO. It does not react with water under normal conditions.
Reaction of lead with the halogens
Lead metal reacts vigorously with fluorine, F2, at room temperature and chlorine, Cl2, on warming to form the poisonous dihalides lead(II) fluoride, PbF2, and lead(II) chloride, PbCl2, respectively.
Pb(s) + F2(g) → PbF2(s) []
Pb(s) + Cl2(g) → PbCl2(s) []
Reaction of lead with acids
The surface of metallic lead is protected by a thin layer of lead oxide, PbO. This renders the lead essentially insoluble in sulphuric acid, and so, in the past, a useful container of this acid. Lead reacts slowly with hydrochloric acid and nitric acid, HNO3. In the latter case, nitrogen oxides are formed together with lead(II) nitrate, Pb(NO3)2.
Reaction of lead with bases
Lead dissolves slowly in cold alkalis to form plumbites.