Which of the following metals would readily displace hydrogen from steam?
Answer Details
The metal that would readily displace hydrogen from steam is Magnesium. This is because Magnesium is a highly reactive metal that easily reacts with water vapor (steam) to produce magnesium oxide and hydrogen gas. The reaction is as follows:
Mg (s) + H2O (g) → MgO (s) + H2 (g)
The other metals listed, copper, lead, and silver, are less reactive and would not readily displace hydrogen from steam. Copper and silver are relatively stable and do not react with water or steam, while lead may react slowly but not as vigorously as magnesium.