C5.1 - The reactivity series

Question 1

What are metals in all our lives?

Answer 1

Metals are important in all our lives

Question 2

Metals are important in all our lives.

Example

Answer 2

For example, in transport, metals are used to make:

1. Bicycles
2. Cars
3. Ships
4. Trains
5. Aeroplanes

Question 3

Ore

Answer 3

An ore is a rock which contains enough metal to make it economically worthwhile to extract the metal

Question 4

How can metals now be extracted from rock that was once thought of as waste?

Answer 4

Metals can now be extracted from rock that was once thought of as waste with new techniques

Question 5

What are most metals in ores?

Answer 5

Most metals in ores are chemically bonded to other elements in compounds

Question 6

Most metals in ores are chemically bonded to other elements in compounds.
Many of these metals have been what?

Answer 6

Many of these metals have been oxidised (have oxygen added) by oxygen in their air to form their oxides

Question 7

Most metals in ores are chemically bonded to other elements in compounds.
Many of these metals have been oxidised (have oxygen added) by oxygen in their air to form their oxides.
Example

Answer 7

For example:
Iron + Oxygen –> Iron (III) oxide
4Fe (s) + 3O2 (g) —> 2Fe2O3 (s)

Question 8

Most metals in ores are chemically bonded to other elements in compounds.
Many of these metals have been oxidised (have oxygen added) by oxygen in their air to form their oxides.
So what must happen, to extract the metals from their oxides?

Answer 8

To extract the metals from their oxides, the metal oxide must be reduced (have oxygen removed)

Question 9

The reactivity series

Answer 9

The reactivity series is a list of elements in order of their reactivity, with the:

1. Most reactive metals at the top
2. Least reactive ones at the bottom

Question 10

How can you start putting the metals in order of reactivity?

Answer 10

You can start putting the metals in order of reactivity by looking at their reactions with water

Question 11

You can start putting the metals in order of reactivity by looking at their reactions with water.
How do most metals react with water?

Answer 11

Most metals do not react vigorously with water

Question 12

You can start putting the metals in order of reactivity by looking at their reactions with water.
Most metals do not react vigorously with water.
Why can metals such as copper be used to make water pipes?

Answer 12

Metals such as copper can be used to make water pipes, because copper does not react at all with water

Question 13

You can start putting the metals in order of reactivity by looking at their reactions with water.
Most metals do not react vigorously with water.
However, what is there a great range in?

Answer 13

There is a great range in reactivity between different metals

Question 14

You can start putting the metals in order of reactivity by looking at their reactions with water.
Most metals do not react vigorously with water.
However, there is a great range in reactivity between different metals.
Example

Answer 14

For example, the alkali metals in group 1 react vigorously with water:

1. Giving off hydrogen gas
2. Leaving alkaline solutions

Question 15

Metals are important materials in what?

Answer 15

Metals are important materials in transportation

Question 16

Where does magnesium lie in the reactivity series?

Answer 16

Magnesium lies somewhere between:
1. Lithium
2. Copper
in the reactivity series

Question 17

What happens if magnesium is left in a beaker of water?

Answer 17

If magnesium is left in a beaker of water, it takes several days to collect enough gas to test with a lighted spill

Question 18

You can use your observations of the reactions with metals and water to place the metals into an order of reactivity.
However, when the reactions are very slow, what can you look at to arrive at an order of reactivity?

Answer 18

When the reactions are very slow, you can look at their reactions with dilute acid to arrive at an order of reactivity

Question 19

Why will aluminium not react with water or dilute acid?

Answer 19

Aluminium will not react with:
1. Water
Or,
2. Dilute acid
,because it is protected by a layer of aluminium oxide

Question 20

Why can aluminium be used outside, for example in sliding patio doors, without corroding, even though it is a fairly reactive metal?

Answer 20

Even though aluminium is a fairly reactive metal, aluminium can be used outside, for example in sliding patio doors, without corroding, because it is protected by a layer of aluminium oxide

Question 21

Describe potassium, sodium, lithium and calcium’s reaction with water

Answer 21

Potassium, sodium, lithium and calcium’s reaction with water is:

1. Fizzing
2. Giving off hydrogen gas
3. Leaving an alkaline solution of metal hydroxide

Question 22

Describe magnesium, aluminium, zinc and iron’s reaction with water

Answer 22

1. Magnesium
2. Aluminium
3. Zinc
4. Iron
   ‘s reaction with water is a very slow reaction

Question 23

Describe tin and lead’s reaction with water

Answer 23

1. Tin
2. Lead
   ‘s reaction with water is a slight reaction with steam

Question 24

Describe copper, silver and gold’s reaction with water

Answer 24

1. Copper
2. Silver
3. Gold
   ‘s reaction with water is no reaction, even with steam

Question 25

Describe potassium, sodium and lithium's reaction with dilute acid

Answer 25

1. Potassium 2. Sodium 3. Lithium 's reaction with dilute acid is an explosion

Question 26

Describe calcium, magnesium, aluminium, zinc and iron's reaction with dilute acid

Answer 26

Calcium, magnesium, aluminium, zinc and iron's reaction with dilute acid is: 1. Fizzing 2. Giving off hydrogen gas 3. Forming a salt

Question 27

Describe tin and lead's reaction with dilute acid

Answer 27

1. Tin 2. Lead 's reaction with dilute acid is a slow reaction, with warm acid

Question 28

Describe copper, silver and gold's reaction with dilute acid

Answer 28

1. Copper 2. Silver 3. Gold 's reaction with dilute acid is no reaction

Question 29

If magnesium is left in a beaker of water, it takes several days to collect enough gas to test with a lighted spill. The resulting 'pop' shows what?

Answer 29

The resulting 'pop' shows that the gas is hydrogen

Question 30

Aluminium will not react with water, or dilute acid, because it is protected by a layer of aluminium oxide, so it will not react with water or dilute acid unless what?

Answer 30

``` Aluminium will not react with water, or dilute acid, because it is protected by a layer of aluminium oxide, so it will not react with: 1. Water Or, 2. Dilute acid unless the oxide layer is removed ```

Question 31

Even though aluminium is a fairly reactive metal, aluminium can be used outside, for example in sliding patio doors, without corroding, because it is protected by a layer of aluminium oxide, so it will not corrode as fast as if what?

Answer 31

Even though aluminium is a fairly reactive metal, aluminium can be used outside, for example in sliding patio doors, without corroding, because it is protected by a layer of aluminium oxide, so it will not corrode as fast as if the oxide layer was removed