Reactivity Series
Overview
Why does potassium explode on water while gold lies unchanged for thousands of years? The answer is the reactivity series, a league table of metals ordered from the most reactive to the least. It predicts how a metal reacts with water and acid, which metal will displace another, and even how the metal must be extracted from its ore.
In this lesson you will learn the order of the reactivity series, the reactions of metals with cold water, steam and dilute acid, and how to deduce an order of reactivity from experiments. You will explain reactivity in terms of the tendency to form positive ions, and account for the surprising unreactivity of aluminium.
Objectives
- State the order of the reactivity series as: potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, carbon, zinc, iron, hydrogen, copper, silver, gold.
- Describe the reactions, if any, of: (a) potassium, sodium and calcium with cold water (b) magnesium with steam (c) magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, silver and gold with dilute hydrochloric acid and explain these reactions in terms of the position of the metals in the reactivity series.
- Deduce an order of reactivity from a given set of experimental results.
- [Supplement] Describe the relative reactivities of metals in terms of their tendency to form positive ions, by displacement reactions, if any, with the aqueous ions of magnesium, zinc, iron, copper and silver.
- [Supplement] Explain the apparent unreactivity of aluminium in terms of its oxide layer.
Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Reactivity Series. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Which metal is the most reactive? A. iron B. potassium C. copper D. zinc Answer: B
- Which metals react with cold water? A. copper, silver, gold B. potassium, sodium, calcium C. zinc and iron only D. aluminium only Answer: B
- Which metal will NOT react with dilute hydrochloric acid? A. magnesium B. zinc C. iron D. copper Answer: D
- A more reactive metal is one that: A. holds its electrons more tightly B. forms positive ions more readily C. is found lower in the series D. never reacts with acids Answer: B
- Aluminium appears unreactive because: A. it is low in the reactivity series B. it has a protective oxide layer C. it does not form ions D. it is a non-metal Answer: B
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
Available on the Green Bridge App
Download the Green Bridge CBT app on your phone or computer to access full lesson notes, practice questions, and more.
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