Question

How and why does Zinc react with Sodium Hydroxide, despite Zinc is less reactive than Sodium??????

Answer 1

When sodium hydroxide solution is heated with zinc granules then Sodium zincate and hydrogen gas are formed. The salt formed by the reaction between a base and a metal, the metal is present as a part of the Negative Ion . All the metals do not react with bases to form salt and hydrogen gas

Most metals do not react with bases but zinc metal does because it is amphoteric. That is, it reacts with acids as well as bases. The reaction between zinc and�NaOH is as follows: When sodium hydroxide solution is heated with zinc, then sodium zincate and hydrogen gas are formed.

Answer 2

Indeed, Zn is lower than Na in activity series of metals, so the following reaction won't take place

Zn+2NaOH → Zn(OH)2+2Na
Remember, however, that Zn is amphoteric, so it can reacts with a strong base such as NaOH as an acid forming sodium zincate

Zn+2H2O+2NaOH⟶Na2Zn(OH)4+H2