Reaction with water

Most elements of groups 13, 14 and 15 are unaffected by water under ordinary conditions. Aluminium is an exception: on heating it reacts with water to form aluminium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, 2Al(s) + 6H2O(l), heated, → 2Al(OH)3(s) + 3H2(g). Tin reacts with steam (rather than liquid water) to form tin(IV) oxide and hydrogen, Sn(s) + 2H2O(g), heated, → SnO2(s) + 2H2(g). Lead, by contrast, is unaffected by water because a thin, protective film of lead oxide forms on its surface and prevents further reaction. Phosphorus behaves quite differently from the metals of these groups: it is so reactive towards atmospheric oxygen that it catches fire s …