Describe the reactions, if any, of: (a) potassium, sodium and calcium with cold water (b) magnesium with steam (c) magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, silver and gold with dilute hydrochloric acid and explain these reactions in terms of the position of the metals in the reactivity series
Describe the use of a flame test to identify the cations: (a) lithium, ( Li^+ ) (b) sodium, ( Na^+ ) (c) potassium, ( K^+ ) (d) calcium, ( Ca^{2+} ) (e) barium, ( Ba^{2+} ) (f) copper(II), ( Cu^{2+} )
State the source of each of these air pollutants, limited to: (a) carbon dioxide from the complete combustion of carbon-containing fuels (b) carbon monoxide and particulates from the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels (c) methane from the decomposition of vegetation and waste gases from digestion in animals (d) oxides of nitrogen from car engines (e) sulfur dioxide from the combustion of fossil fuels which contain sulfur compounds