WHy OXygen can react with metal?

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Oxygen can react with metals due to differences in electronegativity, particularly between iron and oxygen, which leads to the formation of ionic bonds. While oxygen is typically bonded covalently, its interaction with metals like iron results in the breaking of these bonds and the creation of ionic bonds. This reaction is facilitated in the presence of moisture, where a thin aqueous film allows molecular oxygen to dissolve and react with iron, ultimately leading to the oxidation of iron to Fe(OH)3. In contrast, copper does not undergo the same reaction effectively due to the formation of a passive film that protects it from oxidation.
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WHy OXygen can react with metal?As i know , oxygen(O2) is bonded by covalent bond and it should be neutral charge. So how can the metal react with oxygen?
 
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The difference of electronegativity between iron and oxygen is greater than the one between two oxygens. That means the attraction between iron and oxygen is higher. As a result, the covalent bond between the oxygen ions break and create an ionic bond with iron.
 
Hello Miracles, you are right. However, there is one more thing; metal and molecular oxygen react in solution, that is, a very thin aqueous film formed by humidity on iron dissolves some of iron with the aid of molecular oxygen dissolved in that film. Iron has a greater stability in 3+ state, so eventually a significant amount of iron is oxidized to Fe(OH)3.

The same thing does not operate well in copper; we call the effect as "passive film formation".
 

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