Reactions Of Metals

• What does reactivity mean?


  How vigorously a substance chemically reacts
• How can metals be ordered by their reactivity?

  By comparing their reactions with water, acid, or oxygen
• In terms of electrons, what makes some metals more reactive than others?

  They lose their outer shell electron(s) more easily
• What is an ore?


  Rock containing enough of a metal compound to be economically worth extracting
• How are metals less reactive than carbon extracted from their ores?

  By reduction with carbon
• In terms of oxygen, what is oxidation?

  Addition of oxygen
• In terms of oxygen, what is reduction?

  Removal of oxygen
• Why can metals like potassium and aluminium not be extracted by reduction with carbon?

  They are more reactive than carbon
• How are metals more reactive than carbon extracted from their ores?

  By electrolysis
• What is a displacement reaction?


  A more reactive substance takes the place of a less reactive substance in a compound
• What is an ionic equation?

  Equation which gives some substances as ions and has spectator ions removed
• What type of substance is given as ions in an ionic equation?

  Ionic compounds in solution (or liquid)
• What is a spectator ion?


  Ion that is unchanged in a reaction
• What is a half equation?


  Equation that shows whether a substance is losing or gaining electrons
• In terms of electrons, what is oxidation?


  Loss of electrons
• In terms of electrons, what is reduction?


  Gain of electrons
• What name is given to a list of metals ordered by their reactivity?

  Reactivity series
• Why are gold and silver found naturally as elements in the Earth's crust? 


  They are very unreactive