Question: Why does water react with some metals?

Jessica Marshall answered on 19 Mar 2014:

It is to do with how reactive the metals are, so some metals the electrons are locked firmly on place, whereas some have electrons which can be attracted by something with a stronger pull- like the atoms in water. We would like to use magnesium in spacecraft more, as it is quite light, but it would react with the water from our hands so it makes it tricky!