C4 The Reactivity Series Flashcards
What is the reactivity series
Metals in order of their reactivity towards other substances
How is metals reactivity determined
How easily they lose electrons forming positive ions
The higher up the reactivity series, the more easily they form positive ions, so higher a metal, the more easily it reacts with water or acid
What is the reactivity series
Potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, carbon, zinc, iron, hydrogen, copper
What does the reactivity of a metal tells us
Easily it reacts with water or acid
How metals react with acids
Produce a salt and hydrogen gas
What does the speed of the reaction with an acid and metal determine
The rate at which bubbles of hydrogen gas is given off
Which metals would react violently and quickly with acid
Metals towards the top of the reactivity series
Which metals react less violently and slowly with acid
Metals towards the bottom of the reactivity series
What’s another way of investigating the reactivity of metals
Measuring the temperature change of the reaction with an acid or water over a set time. Use same mass and surface area of metal each time, the more reactive, the greater the temperature change
What metals produce when they react with water
Metal hydroxide + hydrogen
Which metals react with water
Potassium sodium lithium and calcium
What metals don’t react with water
Zinc iron copper
