The correct option is **C. Zinc does not react with hot or cold water**. ### Detailed Explanation: 1. **Understanding Zinc's Reactivity**: - Zinc (Zn) is a metal that has specific reactivity characteristics with water and steam. It is important to know how it interacts with these substances to understand the correct answer. 2. **Analyzing Each Option**: - **Option A**: "Zinc heated to redness reacts with steam to give oxygen and zinc oxide." - This statement is incorrect. When zinc reacts with steam, it does not produce oxygen; instead, it produces zinc oxide (ZnO) and hydrogen gas (H₂). The reaction can be represented as: \[ \text{Zn} + \text{H}_2\text{O (g)} \rightarrow \text{ZnO} + \text{H}_2 \] - Therefore, this option is misleading because it incorrectly states that oxygen is produced. - **Option B**: "Zinc heated to redness reacts with steam to give oxygen and hydrogen." - This statement is also incorrect. Similar to Option A, zinc reacts with steam to produce zinc oxide and hydrogen, not oxygen. The reaction does not yield free oxygen gas. Thus, this option is also misleading. - **Option C**: "Zinc does not react with hot or cold water." - This statement is correct. Zinc does not react with cold water, and it reacts very slowly with hot water. In general, zinc is not very reactive with water compared to other metals like sodium or potassium. Therefore, this option accurately describes zinc's behavior. - **Option D**: "Zinc reacts with hot water to form zinc oxide and hydrogen." - This statement is misleading. While zinc can react with steam (which is water in the gaseous state), it does not react with hot water in the liquid state to produce zinc oxide and hydrogen. The reaction with steam is the relevant reaction, and it produces zinc oxide and hydrogen gas, not from hot water. 3. **Why Other Options Are Incorrect**: - Options A and B incorrectly state that oxygen is produced in the reactions involving zinc and steam. This is a fundamental misunderstanding of the chemical reactions involved. - Option D incorrectly implies that zinc can react with hot water in a way that produces zinc oxide, which is not the case. The reaction with steam is the only relevant reaction for producing zinc oxide and hydrogen. ### Summary of Key Points: - Zinc does not react with cold or hot water; it is relatively unreactive with water. - When zinc reacts with steam, it produces zinc oxide and hydrogen gas, not oxygen. - Understanding the specific conditions (steam vs. water) is crucial in predicting the outcomes of reactions involving zinc. ### Revision Summary: - Zinc does not react with cold or hot water. - Zinc reacts with steam to produce zinc oxide and hydrogen. - Oxygen is not produced in reactions involving zinc and steam. - Always clarify the state of water (liquid vs. gas) when discussing reactions with metals.