Which chemical property could Zoe use to distinguish sodium from iron?

• A. Magnetic behavior
• B. Reactivity with water
• C. Color in solid form
• D. Density

Answer: (B)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that chemical properties describe how a substance reacts with other substances, while physical properties describe characteristics that can be observed without changing the substance's identity.
2. Step 2: Identify that magnetic behavior, color in solid form, and density are physical properties because they describe observable traits without involving a chemical change.
3. Step 3: Recognize that reactivity with water involves a chemical reaction where the substance changes into new products, making it a chemical property.
4. Step 4: Compare sodium and iron in terms of their reactivity with water: sodium reacts vigorously with water, producing hydrogen gas and a hydroxide, while iron reacts much more slowly or not noticeably under the same conditions.
5. Step 5: Conclude that the chemical property 'reactivity with water' can be used to distinguish sodium from iron because it involves a chemical change unique to each metal.