Reactivity of metals

• What is the general reaction for the formation of metal oxides?

  Metals + oxygen -> metal oxides
• Why are reactions that form metal oxides called oxidation reactions?

  Because the metals gain oxygen during the reaction
• What is the definition of reduction in terms of oxygen?

  Reduction is the loss of oxygen
• What does oxidation mean in terms of oxygen?

  Oxidation is the gain of oxygen
• What happens to metal atoms when they react with other substances?

  Metal atoms form positive ions
• How is the reactivity of a metal related to its ions?

  The reactivity of a metal is related to its tendency to form positive ions
• What is the order of reactivity for the metals potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper?

  • Potassium
  • Sodium
  • Lithium
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium
  • Zinc
  • Iron
  • Copper
• How does potassium react with water?

  Potassium reacts violently with water
• What is the reaction of sodium with water?

  Sodium reacts very quickly with water
• How does lithium react with water?

  Lithium reacts quickly with water
• What is the reaction of calcium with water?

  Calcium reacts more slowly with water
• How does calcium react with dilute acid?

  Calcium reacts very quickly with dilute acid
• What is the reaction of magnesium with dilute acid?

  Magnesium reacts quickly with dilute acid
• How does zinc react with dilute acid?

  Zinc reacts fairly slowly with dilute acid
• What is the reaction of iron with dilute acid?

  Iron reacts more slowly with dilute acid
• How does copper react with dilute acid?

  Copper reacts very slowly with dilute acid
• Which non-metals are often included in the reactivity series?

  Hydrogen and carbon
• What can a more reactive metal do to a less reactive metal?

  A more reactive metal can displace a less reactive metal from a compound
• Why is gold found in the Earth as the metal itself?

  Because gold is very unreactive
• How are most metals found in the Earth?

  Most metals are found as compounds that require chemical reactions to extract the metal
• How can metals less reactive than carbon be extracted?

  They can be extracted from their oxides by reduction with carbon
• What does reduction involve in terms of oxygen?

  Reduction involves the loss of oxygen
• What does the acronym OIL RIG stand for?

  Oxidation Is Loss and Reduction Is Gain (of electrons)
• What happens to sodium when it is oxidized?

  Sodium loses an electron, leaving it with a +1 charge
• What is the ionic equation for oxidized sodium?

  Na -> Na+ + e-
• What happens to the sodium +1 ion when it is reduced?

  It gains an electron, leaving it with a charge of zero
• What is the ionic equation for the reduction of sodium +1 ion?

  Na+ + e- -> Na
• What should the charges on each side of an ionic equation do?

  The charges should add up to the same number
• In the equation 2Na + 2HCl -> 2NaCl + H2, which element is oxidized?

  Sodium is oxidized as it loses electrons
• What ions make up HCl?

  H+ and Cl- ions
• What ions make up NaCl?

  Na+ and Cl- ions
• In the reaction 2Na -> 2Na+, what does this indicate about sodium?

  Sodium has lost electrons and has been oxidized
• In the reaction 2Cl- -> 2Cl-, what does this indicate about chlorine?

  Chlorine has not been oxidized or reduced
• In the reaction 2H+ -> H2, what does this indicate about hydrogen?

  Hydrogen has gained electrons and has been reduced
• What are the key concepts of oxidation and reduction in terms of electrons?

  • Oxidation: Loss of electrons
  • Reduction: Gain of electrons
  • OIL RIG: Oxidation Is Loss, Reduction Is Gain