Reactivity Series Flashcards
(20 cards)
What is the order of the reactivity series?
Potassium Sodium Lithium Calcium Magnesium Aluminium Carbon Zinc Iron Hydrogen Copper Silver Gold
How is the reactivity series arranged?
The Metals on Top of the Reactivity Series will React More Vigorously with Water and Dilute Acids as they are More Reactive, Whilst the Metals at the Bottom of the Reactivity Series will React Slowly or will Not React with Water and Dilute Acids as they are Less Reactive. A Metal will Displace Another Metal that is Below it in the Reactivity Series.
How does Potassium react with water?
Violently
Melts into a Shiny Ball that Dashes Around the Surface
Burns with a Lilac - Coloured Flame
How does Lithium react with water?
Quickly
Bubbles of Gas
How does Sodium react with water?
Very Quickly
Bubbles of Gas
Melts into a Shiny Ball that Dashes Around the Surface
How does Calcium react with water?
More Slowly
Bubbles of Gas
White Precipitate Produced
How does Potassium react with dilute acid?
Vigorously
Bubbles of Gas
Potassium Disappears
How does Sodium react with dilute acid?
Vigorously
Bubbles of Gas
Sodium Disappears
How does Lithium react with dilute acid?
Vigorously
Bubbles of Gas
Lithium Disappears
How does Calcium react with dilute acid?
Vigorously
Bubbles of Gas
Calcium Disappears
How does Magnesium react with dilute acid?
Quickly Bubbles of Gas Magnesium Disappears Exothermic Colourless Solution Formed
How does Zinc react with dilute acid?
More More Slowly
Bubbles of Gas
Zinc Disappears
Colourless Solution Formed
How does Iron react with dilute acid?
More Slowly than Zinc
Bubbles of Gas
Iron Disappears
Pale Green Solution Formed
What is a displacement reaction?
A Reaction in Which a More Reactive Metal Replaces a Less Reactive One
What is a metal oxide?
A Compound of a Metal and Oxygen
What is a reducing agent?
Substance that Carries Out the Reduction
What is reduction?
When Oxygen is Removed from a Metal Oxide
How can a metal oxide be reduced?
A Metal Oxide can be Reduced by Heating it with a Metal (the Reducing Agent) that is Higher in the Reactivity Series
Give an example of a displacement reaction that reduces metal oxides
It is Possible to Reduce Copper (II) Oxide by Heating it With Magnesium. As Magnesium is Above Copper in the Reactivity Series, Magnesium is More Reactive so can Displace Copper:
CuO (s) + Mg (s) → Cu (s) + MgO (s)
The Reducing Agent in this Reaction is Magnesium
Give an example of a displacement reaction that displaces a metal from their salts
Zinc and Copper (II) Sulfate Solution
As Zinc is Above Copper in the Reactivity Series, Zinc is More Reactive so Can Displace Copper from Copper (II) Sulfate Solution:
Zn (s) + CuSO4 (aq) → ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu (s)
