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Reactions of Barium
Reactions with water
Barium reacts readily with water to form barium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.
  Ba(s) + 2H2O(g)Ba(OH)2(aq) + H2(g)
Reactions with air
Barium metal is covered with a thin layer of oxide that helps protect the metal from attack by air, but to a lesser extent than the corresponding layer in magnesium. Once ignited, barium metal burns in air to give a mixture of white barium oxide and barium nitride.
  2Ba(s) + O2(g)2BaO(s)
  Ba(s) + O2(g)BaO2(s)
  3Ba(s) + N2(g)Ba3N2(s)
 
Reduction Potentials
Balanced half-reaction E0 / V
Ba2+ + 2e-Ba(s) -2.906
BaO + 2H+ + 2e-Ba(s) + H2O -2.166