Reactivity Series
Overview
Why does a gold ring keep its shine for centuries while an iron gate slowly crumbles into rust? The answer lies in reactivity. Chemists rank metals in a league table called the reactivity series, and knowing where a metal sits in that table lets you predict what it will react with and how it can be extracted from its ore.
In this lesson you will build the reactivity series from evidence, explore reactions of metals with water and acids, investigate displacement reactions, understand rusting and how to prevent it, and connect the series to the broader ideas of oxidation and reduction.
Objectives
- 2.16 understand how metals can be arranged in a reactivity series based on their reactions with: - water - dilute hydrochloric or sulfuric acid. understand how metals can be arranged in a reactivity series based on their displacement reactions between: - metals and metal oxides - metals and aqueous solutions of metal salts.
- know the order of reactivity of these metals: potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, zinc, iron, copper, silver, gold
- know the conditions under which iron rusts
- understand how the rusting of iron may be prevented by:
- • barrier methods - galvanising - sacrificial protection. understand the terms: - oxidation - reduction - redox - oxidising agent - reducing agent in terms of gain or loss of oxygen and loss or gain of electrons.
- practical: investigate reactions between dilute hydrochloric and sulfuric acids and metals (e.g. magnesium, zinc and iron)
Lesson Note
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.
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 of the following metals reacts most vigorously with dilute hydrochloric acid? A) Copper B) Iron C) Magnesium D) Zinc Answer: C
- Iron rusts in the presence of: A) Water only B) Oxygen only C) Water and oxygen D) Carbon dioxide and water Answer: C
- In the reaction Zn + CuSO4 -> ZnSO4 + Cu, zinc is: A) Reduced B) Oxidised C) Neither oxidised nor reduced D) A catalyst Answer: B
- Galvanising protects iron from rusting because: A) Zinc is less reactive than iron B) Zinc provides barrier and sacrificial protection C) Zinc dissolves in water D) Zinc is a non-metal Answer: B
- Which metal will NOT react with dilute sulfuric acid? A) Magnesium B) Zinc C) Iron D) Copper Answer: D
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.
Recommended Books
Practice Mock Questions
Want to practice mock questions on Reactivity Series? Download the Green Bridge CBT app to access mock questions and full practice assessments for this topic.
Download The App On Google Playstore
Everything you need to excel in your exams
