Question

Give reason:
Aluminum is a highly reactive metal, yet it is used to make utensils for cooking.

Answer 1

Hint: We know that aluminum is a group 13 element that belongs to the boron family. It is non-magnetic, ductile metal and appears silvery-white. Bauxite is the primary ore of aluminum and it is a highly reactive metal. It is known for low density and is important in the aerospace industry.

Complete answer:
We have remembered that under normal conditions aluminium produces a thin oxide layer which protects the metal from further corrosion by oxygen, water, or dilute acid, the process is called passivation.
We know that aluminum is known for its resistive action against corrosion. The oxides of aluminium have several applications in various industries. We can use aluminum for the making of utensils for cooking because the high reactivity of aluminum results in the formation of aluminum oxide. We get aluminum oxide when aluminum is reacted with oxygen. Aluminum oxide avoids it from additional corrosion as it plays the role of protective layer.
We can write the chemical reaction for the formation of aluminum oxide as,
$2Al + 3{O_2} \to 2A{l_2}{O_3}$
Also, aluminum is used to make vessels for cooking as it is a good conductor of heat, very cheap, readily available, ductile and malleable. These are the reasons why aluminum is used to make vessels for cooking though it is extremely reactive.

Note:
Now we can see the some of the other uses of aluminum as,
-Used in transportation because of its low density
-Used in packaging because it is non-toxic.
-Used in building and construction because of its lightness, and resistant to corrosion.
-Used in electricity related uses such as motors and generators, capacitors, alloys etc because of its mechanical strength, low density, and corrosion resistance.
-Used in machinery and equipment because of its mechanical strength, and non-pyrophoricity.