[budullewraagh]

im trying to obtain strontium metal from the nitrate salt.  i was thinking of making a solution of the salt and adding pure magnesium metal to reduce the strontium.

two questions:
-would this work?
-would the strontium dissolve?

if it doesnt work, do you have any other ideas?

[jdurg]

No.  It will not work.  Strontium reacts with water at approximately the same level as lithium/sodium.  In an aqueous solution, you will not be able to isolate the metal.  Also, magnesium will not reduce the Sr²⁺ ion back to the metal as it is not nearly reactive enough.  Reactivity, in terms of metal displacement, increases as you move down and to the left.  So Sr is much more reactive than Mg.  Strontium can replace magnesium, but not vice-versa.  

[jdurg]

Here's the reactivity series that I was able to find;

Li
K
Ba
Sr
Ca
Na
Mg
Al
Mn
Zn
Cr
Fe
Cd
Co
Ni
Sn
Pb
*H
Sb
As
Bi
Cu
Ag
Pd
Hg
Pt
Au

[budullewraagh]

you just disproved your theory.  lithium is top left of the alkalis buddy and it has a reduction potential of less than -3, but apparently i was wrong about the reduction potentials of magnesium compared to strontium

[AWK]

It will no work because strontium will react with water. Also, nitrates are the worst choise (oxides or chlorides are the best). Why?
Sometimes you can obtain positve results in contrast to electrochemical series. using magnesium you can obtain sodium or potassium at temperatures, at which they are removed from reaction mixture, ie over their boiling points (see Mitch periodic table, which combination can work). But such a reaction is rather impossible to perform in small lab.

[jdurg]

you just disproved your theory.  lithium is top left of the alkalis buddy and it has a reduction potential of less than -3, but apparently i was wrong about the reduction potentials of magnesium compared to strontium

there are exceptions to every theory in the chemical world.    For numerous different reasons, the alkali metals tend to fall into a different order than expected.  The theory came from a chemistry textbook which says that the approximation can be used to determine "reactivity".  Similar oddities to electron shell theories exist for the transition metals.  (I.E. some of the transition metals fill in their electron shells in a way that goes against the main theories.  Also, some transition metals also seem out of place by their atomic mass).

[AWK]

This is not exception. The law of mass action should be always fulfilled

[jdurg]

This is not exception. The law of mass action should be always fulfilled

Well then, I guess Nickel doesn't really exist.