Reactivity Series

Question 1

What is the order of the reactivity series?

Answer 1

Potassium, Sodium, Lithium, Calcium, Magnesium, Aluminium, Carbon, Zinc, Iron, Lead, Hydrogen, Copper, Silver, Gold (please stop lovingly calling me a careless zebra instead learn how copper saves gold)

Question 2

What happens when a metal reacts with water?

Answer 2

metal hydroxide + hydrogen

Question 3

What happens when a metal reacts with an acid?

Answer 3

metal + acid → salt + hydrogen

Question 4

What must be present for rusting to occur?

Answer 4

Oxygen and Water

Question 5

What is a way to prevent rusting?

Answer 5

Barrier: Coat metal in something like oil or grease to prevent oxygen and water coming into contact
Sacrificial: uses a more reactive metal to protect wanted metal as more reactive will oxidise quicker
Galvanising: Coat metal in a layer of zinc - prevents oxygen and water coming into contact and if scratched, still prevents oxidation as its more reactive

Question 6

What is oxidation?

Answer 6

Gain of Oxygen - rusting

Question 7

What is reduction?

Answer 7

Loss of Oxygen - displacement of zinc and copper oxide

Question 8

What is ‘OIL RIG’

Answer 8

Oxidation is loss ( of electrons), Reduction is gain (of electrons)