Metals Flashcards
Where are metals found on the periodic table?
On the left hand side.
Six types — alkaline, alkaline earth, transition, post-transition/poor, lanthanides, actinides
Can the properties of metals be generalised?
Yes, but there are some exceptions — most metals are solid at room temperature, but mercury is a liquid, for example.
List some physical properties of metals.
Good conductors of heat. Good conductors of electricity. Lustrous (i.e. shiny). Ductile (i.e. can be drawn into wires). Malleable. High melting points (except Hg). Solid (except Hg). Good tactile strength.
What reactions are used to place metals into a reactivity series?
Reaction with water.
Reaction with acid.
Displacement reactions.
A more reactive metal will react more violently in a displacement reaction than an acid reaction, and more violently in an acid reaction than a water reaction. Therefore, not all metals are made to react all three ways.
What is the reactivity series?
A list of metals ranked by how reactive they are.
List the metals in the reactivity series.
Potassium (K) Sodium (Na) Calcium (Ca) Magnesium (Mg) Aluminium (Al) Zinc (Zn) Iron (Fe) Copper (Cu)
What happens when potassium reacts with water?
It will burn with a lilac flame.
It will react quickly.
It will ‘pop/crackle/explode’.
Exothermic reaction (releases energy).
What happens when sodium reacts with water?
Bubbles. Floats and ‘travels’ around surface of water. Melts into molten ball. Exothermic — a lot of heat is released. ‘Disappears’ at end.
What happens when calcium reacts with water?
Fizzes and sinks.
Lots of gas and bubbles; therefore, a lot of energy was released — exothermic.
Eventually rises again to float.
What happens when magnesium reacts with water?
Sinks.
Small bubbles.
What happens when zinc reacts with water?
‘Zincs’ with no reaction.
What happens when copper reacts with water?
Sinks with no reaction.
What happens when iron reacts with water?
Sinks with no reaction.
What happens when magnesium reacts with dilute acid?
Sinks. Instantly starts fizzing audibly. ‘Disappears’. Steam condenses. Fizzing stops after some minutes. Hydrogen is released. Exothermic. [NB: 2-3cm strip in 3ml of hydrochloric acid.]
What happens when zinc reacts with dilute acid?
Some small bubbles on the side of the strip.
[NB: 2-3cm strip in 3ml of acid.]