Reactivity Series
Cards (6)
- Reactivity SeriesFrom most reactive to least reactive :
- Potassium
- sodium
- calcium
- magnesium
- aluminium
- carbon
- zinc
- iron
- lead
- hydrogen
- copper
- silver
- gold
- Metal reactions
- metal + cold water -> metal hydroxide + hydrogen
- metal + steam -> metal oxide + hydrogen
- metal + dilute hydrochloric acid -> metal chloride + hydrogen
- metal oxide + hydrogen -> metal + carbon dioxide
- metal + cold water
- potassium reacts explosively with cold water to form potassium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. A lot of heat is given off and may cause the hydrogen gas to catch fire and explode
- sodium reacts violently, to form sodium hydroxide and hydrogen gas, a lot of heat is given off and may cause hydrogen gas to catch fire and explode
- calcium reacts readily to form calcium hydroxide and hydrogen gas
- magnesium reacts very slowly to form magnesium hydroxide and hydrogen gas
- metal + steam
- potassium, sodium and calcium react explosively with steam to form metal oxides and steam
- hot magnesium reacts violently to form magnesium oxide and hydrogen gas
- hot zinc reacts readily to form zinc oxide and hydrogen gas
- red-hot iron reacts slowly with steam to form iron oxide and hydrogen gas, the iron must be continuously heated
- metal + dilute HCl
- Potassium reacts explosively to form potassium chloride and hydrogen gas
- sodium reacts explosively to form sodium chloride and hydrogen gas
- calcium reacts violently to form calcium chloride and hydrogen gas
- magnesium reacts very quickly to form magnesium chloride and hydrogen gas
- iron reacts slowly to form iron (II) chloride hydrogen gas
- Reactivity series
- the more reactive a metal, the faster the rate of reaction and thus a greater volume of gas produced per unit time
- at high temperatures, carbon acts as a reducing agent and is able to reduce the oxides of some metals which are below carbon in the reactivity series
- hydrogen is a weaker reducing agent than carbon