Properties | More Info | Isotopes | Spectra
Compounds | Reactions | Production
Atomic: M.A.C. | Reference
Diagrams: Shell | Atomic Radius | Electron || Images
Reactions of Bismuth
Reactions with water
When red hot bismuth reacts with water to form bismuth(III) trioxide.
  2Bi(s) + 3H2O(g)Bi2O3(s) + 3H2(g)
Reactions with air
Upon heating bismuth reacts with oxygen in the air for form bismuth(III) trioxide.
  4Bi(s) + 3O2(g)2Bi2O3(s)
Reactions with halogens
Bismuth reacts with fluorine to form bismuth(V) fluoride.
  2Bi(s) + 5F2(g)2BiF5(s)
Bismuth reacts under controlled conditions with the halogens fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine to bismuth(III) trihalides.
Reactions with acids
  2Bi(s) + 3F2(g)2BiF3(s)
  2Bi(s) + 3Cl2(g)2BiCl3(s)
  2Bi(s) + 3Br2(g)2BiBr3(s)
  2Bi(s) + 3I2(g)2BiI3(s)
Bismuth dissolves in concentrated sulphuric acid or nitric acid, to form solutions containing Bi(III). The sulphuric acid reaction produces sulphur(IV) dioxide gas. With hydrochloric acid in the presence of oxygen, bismuth(III) chloride is produced.
  4Bi(s) + 3O2(g) + 12HCl(aq)4BiCl3(aq) + 6H2O(l)
 
Reduction Potentials
Balanced half-reaction E0 / V
Bi3+ + 3e-Bi(s) +0.215
BiOH2+ + H+ + 3e-Bi(s) + H2O +0.254
BiO+ + 2H+ + 3e-Bi(s) + H2O +0.320
BiOCl(s) + 2H+ + 3e-Bi(s) + H2O + Cl- +0.160
Bi2O3(s) + 3H2O + 6e-2Bi(s) + 6OH- -0.46
Bi2O5(s) + 10H+ + 4e-2Bi3+ + 5H2O +1.75
Bi2O5(s) + 8H+ + 4e-2BiOH2+ + 3H2O +1.700
Bi2O5(s) + 6H+ + 4e-2BiO+ + 3H2O +1.605
NaBiO3(s) + 4H+ + 2e-BiO+ + Na+ + H2O +1.80
BiCl4- + 3e-Bi(s) + 4Cl- +0.16
Bi(s) + 3H+ + 3e-BiH3(g) -0.800