Oxydation of metals.

All (neutral) metals are reductors (see table X). General rule here is: that a redox reaction of a metal with an oxydator only occurs if in that table the oxydator has a higher position than the metal.
Based on this item, you can divide metals as follows:
  1. Very unnoble (reactive) metals react with water. Na(s) + H2O(l) NaOH(aq) +H2(g) [het H2 is inflamable!]
  2. A normal reactive metal does not react with water, but does react with hydrochoric acid. Fe(s) + 2HCl(aq) FeCl2(aq) + H2(g) [H2 is inflamable!]
  3. A half noble metal does not react with hydrochloric acid, but does react with diluted or concentrated nitric acid. 3Cu(s) + 8HNO3(aq) 3Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2NO(g) + 4H2O(l) [(Coppper was red) (Copper(II) ions are blue) (NO-gas brown)
  4. Noble metals dissolve anly in "kings water (aqua regia)": a mixture of concentrated nitric acid and concentrated hydrochloric acid.
    Au(s) + 4H+ + 4Cl- + NO3-(aq) AuCl4-(aq) + NO(g) + 2H2O