Reactivity Series Flashcards
What is the reactivity series?
Chemical elements can be put in order according to how reactive they are. This is called the reactivity series. Elements are listed with the most reactive at the top and the least reactive at the bottom
Order of reactivity series including mnemonic
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Potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, zinc, iron, tin, lead, hydrogen, copper, silver, gold
Observations of all metals
- Float and move on the surface of water
- Effervesce or fizz
- Sodium might form a ball on the surface and ignite with a yellow flame
- Potassium will ignite with a lilac flame
- A lighted spill produces squeaky pop
- Universal indicator,solution in pure water is green and after the reaction it turned purple
How the equation would look if the reactants were a metal and water
Metal + water —> metal hydroxide + hydrogen
Reaction of metals with acid
Metal + acid —> metal salt + hydrogen
Zinc + hydrochloric acid —> zinc chloride + hydrogen
The further apart the metal is from the other metal in the reactivity series…
The more vigorous the reaction would be
Displacement Reactions
Involve a metal and a compound of a different metal. A more reactive metal will displace a less reactive metal from its compounds.
Oxidation
The addition of oxygen to a substance
Reduction
Removal of oxygen from a substance
An oxidising agent
A substance which oxidises something and gets reduced and gains electrons
An reducing agent
A substance which reduces something and becomes oxidised and loses electrons
What is a metal ore?
An ore is a rock which contains enough quantities of a metal to make it economically worth extracting the metal. Most metals are found as compounds that require chemical reaction to extract the metal
Whether it is worth extracting a particular metal depends on what?
How easy it is to extract from its ore
How much metal the ore contains
What is native state?
A few unreactive metals, for example gold, are found in their uncombined native state, they are so unreactive that they are found as the metal themselves.
Examples of the metals found in the ores
Galena Haematite Bauxite Chromite Calcite
For example, the metal ore is galena and the metal found in the ore is lead.
For example, the metal ore is haematite and the metal found in the ore is iron.
For example, the metal ore is bauxite and the metal found in the ore is aluminium.
For example, the metal ore is chromite and the metal found in the ore is chromium and iron.
For example, the metal ore is calcite and the metal found in the ore is calcium.
Examples of native metals
Gold
Platinum
Experiment: Rusting
There is four test tubes, why is the water boiled and why is oil added in one of the test tubes
The water is boiled to remove dissolved oxygen
The oil prevents oxygen from the atmosphere dissolving
What conditions are required for rust to form?
Oxygen and water
Salt water was used in one of the test tubes, what effect did it have on the nail?
Increases rusting
Outline the methods to prevent rust formation for the following
Grease Oil Paint Plastic Galvanising
Grease - protects oxygen and water vapour - used for nuts and bolts
Oil - protects oxygen and water vapour - used on bicycle chains
Paint - protects oxygen and water vapour
Plastic - coating items with a thin layer of plastic
Galvanising - coated in a thin layer of zinc
What is sacrificial protection of iron? Explain this in terms of the use of zinc in the protection of iron
Zinc is more reactive than iron so corrodes instead. As it’s more reactive, Zinc loses its electrons in preference to iron which prevents irons from losing its electrons and becoming oxidised.
Which metals rust?
Iron
What are the three top methods for rusting to be prevented?
Barrier methods - coating the metal will provide a barrier to keep the water and oxygen away from the iron.
Galvanising - coating the iron with zinc to protect it
Sacrificial protection - zinc is used
Extracting iron
A metal higher in the reactivity series and hence more reactive can displace another one from its compound. Since carbon is higher than iron in the reactivity series, we can use it to extract the iron from its ore, iron oxide (haemitite)
And so if you react iron oxide with carbon it makes carbon dioxide and iron.
When this reaction is carried out in a blast furnace, oxygen is taken away from the iron by the carbon and we say that the iron has been reduced but also we say that carbon has been oxidised because oxygen has been added to it.
The uses and properties of the following metals
Aluminium Copper Iron and low carbon steel (mild) Iron and high carbon steel Iron and Stainless steel
Aluminium is used for foil and planes,BECAUSE its strong and hard but light density.
Copper is used for copper pans and jewellery, BECAUSE its unreactive and conducts heat and electricity
Iron and low carbon steel (mild) - used for wire, rails, car bodies, bridges, shop building BECAUSE it is softer, more easily shaped
Iron and high carbon steel - used for masonary nails and cutting tools, BECAUSE its hard and brittle
Stainless steel - used for knives, saucepans and the brewing industry. BECAUSE It forms strong oxide later and so it can be resistant to corrosion and is hard
Redox Reaction
From any reaction when oxidation and reduction takes place is called a redox reaction
