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#