Question

Carbon cannot reduce the oxides of Na and Mg

Answer 1

Carbon cannot reduce oxides of sodium or magnesium because carbon is less reactive than magnesium or sodium. Carbon, which is a non-metal, is more reactive than zinc and can be placed just above Zn in the reactivity series. Hence, carbon can reduce the oxides of zinc and all other metals below zinc to form metals.

Answer 2

Answer:

This is because sodium and magnesium are more reactive than carbon. This means that carbon cannot reduce the oxides of these metals. The two metals are above carbon in the reactivity series and thus have a high affinity to oxygen than carbon does and thus cannot be reduced by it.