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Reactions of Lanthanum
Reactions with water
Lanthanum is quite electropositive and reacts slowly with cold water and quite quickly with hot water to form lanthanum hydroxide and hydrogen gas.
  2La(s) + 6H2O(g)2La(OH)3(aq) + 3H2(g)
Reactions with air
Lanthanum tarnishes slowly in air and burns readily to form lanthanum (III) oxide.
  4La(s) + 3O2(g)2La2O3(s)
Reactions with halogens
Lanthanum metal reacts with all the halogens to form lanthanum(III) halides.
  2La(s) + 3F2(g)2LaF(s)
  2La(s) + 3Cl2(g)2LaCl(s)
  2La(s) + 3Br2(g)2LaBr(s)
  2La(s) + 3I2(g)2LaI(s)
Reactions with acids
Lanthanum dissolves readily in dilute sulphuric acid to form solutions containing the aquated La(III) ion together with hydrogen gas.
  2La(s) + 3H2SO4(aq)2La3+(aq) + 3SO42-(aq) + 3H2(g)
 
Reduction Potentials
Balanced half-reaction E0 / V
La3+ + 3e-La(s) -2.52
La(OH)3(s) + 3e-La(s) + 3OH- -2.90