reactivity series

• Reactivity series


  A series that shows the reactivity of different metals, determined by their reactions with water and acids
• Determining reactivity of metals

  1. React metals with water

  2. React metals with dilute acids

  3. Observe rate of reaction
• Metals in order of decreasing reactivity

  • Potassium
  • Sodium
  • Lithium
  • Calcium
  • Magnesium
  • Zinc
  • Iron
  • Copper
• Potassium, sodium, and lithium react very rapidly with water at room temperature
• Calcium reacts quite rapidly with water at room temperature
• Magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper have no reaction with water at room temperature
• Potassium, sodium, and lithium react too vigorously with dilute acids and would be dangerous
• Calcium reacts extremely vigorously with dilute acids
• Magnesium reacts rapidly with dilute acids
• Zinc reacts quite rapidly but less so than magnesium with dilute acids
• Iron reacts slowly with dilute acids
• Copper does not react with dilute acids
• Carbon and hydrogen are also included in the reactivity series, as they are used a lot in chemistry
• Reactivity of metals


  Depends on their ability to lose electrons and form positive ions
• Metals at the top of the reactivity series, like potassium, readily form positive ions
• Metals at the bottom of the reactivity series, like copper, are much less likely to form positive ions