Metals And Reactivity Series

Question 1

Recall the reactivity series in order from most reactive to least reactive

Answer 1

Potassium
Sodium
Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminium
Zinc
Iron
Copper

Question 2

Reaction of potassium when heated in air and water

Answer 2

Air- burns with a lilac flame
Water- floats, moves rapidly around surface. Bursts into a lilac flame. Bubbles of gas released. Colourless solution formed. Heat is released

Question 3

Reaction of sodium in air and water?

Answer 3

Air- burns with a bright yellow flame

Water- floats, moves rapidly around surface. Heat released, so much so that it melts and forms a sphere of molten metal. It may burn with a yellow flame. Sodium disappears and a colourless solution is formed.

Question 4

Reaction of calcium with air and water

Answer 4

Air- burns with a brick red flame

Water- Calcium granules will sink initially then rise and fall. Bubbles of gas evolved. Beaker feels warm to the touch. Colourless solution with a slight white precipitate formed.

Question 5

Describe the reaction of magnesium with air and water and steam

Answer 5

Air- burns with a bright white flame, leaves a white ash.

Water- very few bubbles observed even after leaving for several days

Steam- reacts when heated, produces a very bright white light. Heat given out. A white powder remains

Question 6

Reactions of aluminium while heated in air and in steam

Answer 6

Air- sheets do not burn easily. Powdered aluminium burns with white sparks leaving a white solid.

Steam- small pieces will react when oxide layer is taken off.

Question 7

Reaction of zinc in air and steam?

Answer 7

Burns leaving a yellow solid which cools and changes to white.

Steam- reacts when heated, glows as steam is passed over producing a yellow powder. Yellow powder becomes white when is left to cool.

Question 8

Reaction of iron in air, water and steam

Answer 8

Air- sheets of iron don’t burn easily. Iron wool or filings burn with yellow/orange sparks forming a black solid.

Water - iron will rust after a few days

Steam- iron must be heated until it glows red before the steam is passed over, reacts to form a black solid

Question 9

Reaction of copper while heated in air

Answer 9

Sheets of copper form a black layer of copper oxide. A blue/green flame may be observed.

Question 10

What is the reactivity of a metal related to?

Answer 10

It is related to the tendency to lose its electrons and form a positive ion. Therefore the further the outer electron is from the nucleus the easier it is to lose and therefore a more vigorous reaction occurs.

Question 11

Define displacement reaction.

Answer 11

A displacement reaction is a reaction in which a more reactive metal takes the place of a less reactive metal in a compound.

Question 12

What is on ore?

Answer 12

An ore is a rock that contains a metal compound from which the metal can be extracted.

Question 13

Name 3 methods of extracting metals from metal oxide ores

Answer 13

Electrolysis
Reduction using carbon
Phytomining

Question 14

Define phytomining

Answer 14

The use of plants to absorb metal compounds from soil as part of metal extraction

Question 15

What are the steps to phytomining

Answer 15

1. Uptake of bio available metals
2. Transfer from roots to shoots
3. Accumulates in shoots
4. Harvest shoots
5. Left with ash rich in metal oxide
6. Acid such as sulfuric acid is added to the ash, insoluble metal compounds react to from a solution containing soluble copper compounds. This solution is called leachate.
7. Metal can then be obtained by adding scrap iron to the leachate solution, therefore a displacement reaction can occur leaving metal.