Note 36 — Chapter XVII · BORON, ALUMINIUM, AND THE ANALOGOUS METALS OF THE THIRD GROUP

At the ordinary temperature aluminium does not decompose water, but if a small quantity of iodine, or of hydriodic acid and iodine, or of aluminium iodide and iodine, is added to the water, then hydrogen is abundantly evolved. It is evident that here the reaction proceeds at the expense of the formation of Al2I6, and that this substance, with water, gives aluminium hydroxide and hydriodic acid, which, with aluminium, evolves hydrogen. Aluminium probably belongs to those metals having a greater affinity for oxygen than for the halogens (Note 36 tri).