Inorganic Chemistry - Reactivity Series

Question 1

how are metals arranged in the reactivity series?

Answer 1

theyre arranged with the most reactive metals at the top, based on their reactions with water and dilute sulfuric acid or on their displacement reactions between metal oxides and aqueous solutions of metal salts

Question 2

what happens when a metal reacts with another metal oxide?

Answer 2

a metal will displace another metal from its oxide that is lower in the reactivity series

Question 3

what happens when a metal reacts with an aqueous solution of a metal salt?

Answer 3

a metal will also displace another metal from its salt that is lower in the reactivity series

Question 4

what is the order of reactivity?

Answer 4

• potassium
• sodium
• lithium
• calcium
• magnesium
• aluminium
• zinc
• iron
• copper
• silver
• gold

Question 5

what conditions will iron rust in?

Answer 5

iron rusts when oxygen and water are present

Question 6

how can you prevent iron rusting?

Answer 6

barrier methods, galvanising and sacrificial protection

Question 7

what is the barrier method?

Answer 7

rusting may be prevented by stopping the water and oxygen getting to the iron with a barrier of grease, oil, paint or plastic

Question 8

what is galvanising?

Answer 8

coating in zinc prevents water and oxygen from getting to the iron, and even if the barrier is broken the more reactive zinc corrodes before the less reactive iron. during the process, the zinc loses electrons to form zinc ions

Question 9

what is sacrificial protection?

Answer 9

zinc blocks are attached to iron to act as sacrificial anodes. zinc is more reactive than iron, so oxygen in the air reacts with the zinc to form a layer of zinc oxide instead of iron.

Question 10

what is oxidation?

Answer 10

• the loss of electrons
• the gain of oxygen

Question 11

what is reduction?

Answer 11

• the gain of electrons
• the loss of oxygen

Question 12

what is redox?

Answer 12

a reaction involving oxidation and reduction

Question 13

what is an oxidising agent?

Answer 13

a substance that gives oxygen or removes electrons (it is itself reduced)

Question 14

what is a reducing agent?

Answer 14

a substance that takes oxygen or gives electrons (it is itself oxidised)

Question 15

what happens in a reaction between dilute hydrochloric/sulfuric acid and metals?

Answer 15

metals which are above hydrogen in the reactivity series will react with dilute hydrochloric or sulfuric acid to produce a salt and hydrogen:
metal + acid -> salt + hydrogen
this is a displacement reaction and is exothermic