Reactivity

Question 1

Potassium

Answer 1

• Most reactive
• OXYGEN: Lilac flame. White solid formed. Tarnishes when cut.
• WATER: Floats. Moves. Fizzes. Lilac flame. Exothermic. Colourless solution remains.
  STEAM: Too dangerous.

Question 2

Sodium

Answer 2

-2nd most reactive.
-OXYGEN: Yellow flame. White solid formed. Tarnishes when cut.
-WATER: Floats. Moves. Fizzes. Melts into silvery ball. Exothermic. Colourless solution remains.
-STEAM: Too dangerous.

Question 3

Calcium

Answer 3

-3rd most reactive.
-OXYGEN: Brick red flame. White solid formed. Forms surface oxide at room temp.
-WATER: Fizzes. Exothermic. Grey solid sinks then rises. Grey solid disappears, milky white solution.
-STEAM: Too dangerous.

Question 4

Magnesium

Answer 4

-4th most reactive.
-OXYGEN: White light and white solid forms. Slowly forms surface oxide at room temp.
-WATER: Slow reaction. Some bubbles
STEAM: Reacts on strong heating. White light, white powder.

Question 5

Zinc

Answer 5

-6th most reactive.
-OXYGEN: Yellow solid, becomes white on cooling. Surface oxide at room temp.
-WATER: N/A
-STEAM: Reacts as a powder on strong heating. Yellow solid forms which changes to white on cooling.

Question 6

Iron

Answer 6

-7th most reactive.
-OXYGEN: Iron filings. Orange sparks. Black solid. Surface oxide.
-WATER: N/A
-STEAM: Reacts as a powder on very strong heating. Black solid formed.

Question 7

Copper

Answer 7

-Least reactive.
-OXYGEN: Strong heating. Black solid. Surface oxide.
-WATER: N/A
STEAM: N/A

Question 8

Metals that are extracted through electrolysis:

Answer 8

Potassium
Sodium
Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminium

Question 9

Metals that are extracted through heating with carbon:

Answer 9

Zinc
Iron
Copper

Question 10

Metals that are extracted using several chemical reactions:

Answer 10

Gold
Silver

Question 11

Phytomining

Answer 11

• Phytomining is the extraction of highly concentrated, toxic metals by burning plants that have absorbed the metals into their roots.
  1. Plants are used to absorb the metal.
  2. They are harvested and burned.
  3. Acid is added to the ash to produce a solution containing dissolved metal compounds.
• This process is slow, but reduces the need to obtain ore through mining and conserves limited supplies of precious metals with high metal content.

Question 12

What is the acid in phytomining?

Answer 12

Leachate

Question 13

Aluminium

Answer 13

• 5th most reactive
• OXYGEN: White powder formed. Slowly forms surface oxide. Strong heating.
• WATER: N/A
• STEAM: Reacts as powder on strong heating. White solid formed