The statement “each metal cannot react to its own salt” is not entirely accurate. In fact, metals often do react with their own salts under certain conditions. The reaction of a metal with its own salt depends on the specific metal and the nature of the salt involved.
Metals have a tendency to lose electrons and form positive ions (cations). When a metal reacts with a salt, it often involves the displacement of another metal ion from its salt. This type of reaction is known as a displacement reaction or a redox reaction.
Here’s a simple example:
Zinc with Zinc Sulfate:
Zinc metal (Zn) can react with zinc sulfate (ZnSOâ‚„).
The reaction can be represented as: Zn +ZnSO4–ïƒ 2Zn + SO4
However, not all metals will react with their own salts. Some metals are more reactive than others, and the reactivity series is a useful way to compare the relative reactivities of different metals. For example, a metal higher in the reactivity series can displace a metal lower in the series from its salt in a solution.
If you have a specific metal-salt combination in mind, I can provide more information about the potential reaction involved.