Reactivity Series Flashcards
What happens in a displacement reaction
The least reactive metal gets pushed out of its compound by the more reactive metal. If a less reactive metal is reacted with the more reactive metals compound nothing will happen.
What is the reactivity series
Potassium Sodium Lithium Calcium Magnesium Aluminum Zinc Iron Tin Lead Hydrogen Copper Mercury Silver Gold Platinum
What is oxidation
It’s is the gaining of oxygen
What is reduction
When a substance loses oxygen it has been reduced
What is a redox reaction
It is a reaction where both oxidization and reduction happens
What is a reducing agent
A substance which reduces something else
What is a oxidizing agent
A substance which oxidizes something else
What should you remember when talking about redox, reduction or oxidation
Oxidation Is Loss of electrons Reduction Is Gain of electrons
What happens when you react zinc and copper sulphate
Zinc + copper sulphate –> zinc sulphate + copper
What happen when you react copper and silver nitrate solution
Copper + silver nitrate –> Copper nitrate + silver
Which metals will react with water or steam
Metals above hydrogen in the reactivity series
What happens when you react a metal and cold water
Metal + cold water –> metal hydroxide + hydrogen
What happens when you react steam and a metal
Metal + steam –> metal oxide + hydrogen
What happens when you react potassium, sodium or lithium with cold water
They all react vigorously
What happens when calcium is reacted with cold water
Calcium reacts gently with cold water, the mixture becomes warm as heat is produced. Calcium hydroxide is formed but this isn’t very soluble in water. Some of it dissolves as a colourless solution, but most of it is left as a white, insoluble solid.
What happens when you react magnesium and cold water
There is almost no reaction. If the magnesium is clean a few bubbles I hydrogen form but the reaction stops as the magnesium gets coated with an insoluble magnesium hydroxide.
What happens when you react magnesium and steam
The magnesium burns with a bright white flame in the steam producing hydrogen which can be ignited at the end of the tube. White magnesium oxide is formed.
What happens when you react zinc and steam
Zinc oxide is formed - this is yellow when hot but white when cooled
What happens when you react iron and steam
The iron becomes slightly darker grey. A complicated oxide is formed, called triiron tetroxide
Which metals react with acids
Metals above hydrogen react with acids to form salts
What happens when you react Potassium, sodium, lithium and calcium with acids
These are too reactive to add safely to acids
What happens when you react magnesium with acids
Magnesium reacts vigorously with cold dilute acids, and the mixture gets very hot. A colourless solution of magnesium sulphate or chloride is formed.
What happens when you react aluminium with acids
Aluminium is slow to start reacting, but after warming it reacts vigorously. When heated the acid removed the layer of aluminium oxide of the surface of the aluminium.
What happens when you react zinc or iron with an acid
They react slowly in the cold, but more rapidly when heated. They both form zinc or iron chloride or sulphate and hydrogen
