Reactions with waterReactions with air
2PbO(s)Reactions with halogensPbF2(s)PbCl2(s)Reactions with acidsReactions with bases|
Compounds | Reactions | Production
|
| Reactions of Lead |
| Reactions with water |
| The surface of lead is covered by a thin layer of oxide that means it will not react under normal conditions. |
| Reactions with air |
| Only upon heating lead to 600-800°C does lead react with oxygen in air to from lead oxide. |
| 2Pb(s) + O2(g)2PbO(s) |
| Reactions with halogens |
| Lead metal reacts vigorously with fluorine at room temperature and chlorine on warming to form poisonous dihalides. |
| Pb(s) + F2(g)PbF2(s) |
| Pb(s) + Cl2(g)PbCl2(s) |
| Reactions with acids |
| The surface of lead is protected by a thin layer of lead oxide which 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. In the latter case, nitrogen oxides are formed together with lead(II) nitrate. |
| Reactions with bases |
| Lead dissolves slowly in cold alkalis to form plumbites. |
| Reduction Potentials | |
| Balanced half-reaction | E0 / V |
Pb4+ + 2e-  Pb2+ |
+1.694 |
| Pb2+ + 2e-Pb(s) |
-0.126 |
| Pb2+ + 2e-Pb(s) |
-0.14 |
| Pb2+ + 2e-Pb(s))
|
-0.29 |
| 3PbO2(s) + 2H2O + 4e- Pb3O4(s) + 4OH- |
+0.295 |
| PbO2(s) + 4H+ + 2e-Pb2+ + 2H2O
|
+1.455 |
| PbO2(s) + 4H+ + SO42- + 2e-PbSO4(s) + 2H2O
|
+1.685 |
| PbO2(s) + H+ + 2e-HPbO2- |
+0.621 |
| 3PbO32- + 10H+ + 4e-Pb3O4(s) + 5H2O
|
+2.515 |
| PbO32- + 4H+ + 2e-PbO(s) + 2H2O
|
+2.001 |
| PbO32- + 3H+ + e-HPbO2- + H2O
|
+1.547 |
| PbO32- + 6H+ + 2e-Pb2+ + 3H2O
|
+2.375 |
| Pb3O4(s) + H2O + 2e-3PbO(s) + 2OH- |
+0.249 |
| Pb3O4(s) + 8H+ + 2e-3Pb2+ + 3H2O
|
+2.094 |
| Pb3O4(s) + 2H2O + 2e-3HPbO2- + H+ |
-0.390 |
| PbO(s) + 2H+ + 2e-Pb(s) + H2O
|
+0.249 |
| PbSO4 + 2e-Pb(s) + SO42- |
-0.350 |
| HPbO2- + 3H+ + 2e-Pb(s) + 2H2O
|
+0.702 |
| Pb(s) + 2H+ + 2e-PbH2 |
-1.507 |