How is the reaction between Aluminium and Mercury Chloride possible?

Aluminium is coated with a thin layer of Aluminium Oxide. Why then do we write the reaction as

2Al + 3HgCl2 → 2AlCl3 + 3Hg

Shouldn't we first write an equation showing how HgCl2 reacts with Al2O3 ?

Answer 1

Aluminium is first scraped with sand paper to remove the oxide layer then it reacts with mercury chloride and displaces it as mercury is below aluminium in the reactivity series.

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Answer 2

Cameron Andrews

The reaction between aluminum and mercury chloride is possible because aluminum is more reactive than mercury. When aluminum reacts with mercury chloride, it displaces mercury from the compound, forming aluminum chloride and elemental mercury. This displacement reaction occurs due to the difference in reactivity between aluminum and mercury.

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Answer from HIX Tutor

When evaluating a one-sided limit, you need to be careful when a quantity is approaching zero since its sign is different depending on which way it is approaching zero from. Let us look at some examples.

How is the reaction between Aluminium and Mercury Chloride possible?

Aluminium is coated with a thin layer of Aluminium Oxide. Why then do we write the reaction as 2Al + 3HgCl2 → 2AlCl3 + 3Hg Shouldn't we first write an equation showing how HgCl2 reacts with Al2O3 ?

Aluminium is coated with a thin layer of Aluminium Oxide. Why then do we write the reaction as

2Al + 3HgCl2 → 2AlCl3 + 3Hg

Shouldn't we first write an equation showing how HgCl2 reacts with Al2O3 ?