Reactivity Series

Question 1

What is the order of the reactivity series?

Answer 1

Potassium 
Sodium 
Lithium 
Calcium 
Magnesium 
Aluminium 
Carbon 
Zinc
Iron
Hydrogen 
Copper
Silver
Gold

Question 2

How is the reactivity series arranged?

Answer 2

The Metals on Top of the Reactivity Series will React More Vigorously with Water and Dilute Acids as they are More Reactive, Whilst the Metals at the Bottom of the Reactivity Series will React Slowly or will Not React with Water and Dilute Acids as they are Less Reactive. A Metal will Displace Another Metal that is Below it in the Reactivity Series.

Question 3

How does Potassium react with water?

Answer 3

Violently
Melts into a Shiny Ball that Dashes Around the Surface
Burns with a Lilac - Coloured Flame

Question 4

How does Lithium react with water?

Answer 4

Quickly

Bubbles of Gas

Question 5

How does Sodium react with water?

Answer 5

Very Quickly
Bubbles of Gas
Melts into a Shiny Ball that Dashes Around the Surface

Question 6

How does Calcium react with water?

Answer 6

More Slowly
Bubbles of Gas
White Precipitate Produced

Question 7

How does Potassium react with dilute acid?

Answer 7

Vigorously
Bubbles of Gas
Potassium Disappears

Question 8

How does Sodium react with dilute acid?

Answer 8

Vigorously
Bubbles of Gas
Sodium Disappears

Question 9

How does Lithium react with dilute acid?

Answer 9

Vigorously
Bubbles of Gas
Lithium Disappears

Question 10

How does Calcium react with dilute acid?

Answer 10

Vigorously
Bubbles of Gas
Calcium Disappears

Question 11

How does Magnesium react with dilute acid?

Answer 11

Quickly
Bubbles of Gas
Magnesium Disappears
Exothermic
Colourless Solution Formed

Question 12

How does Zinc react with dilute acid?

Answer 12

More More Slowly
Bubbles of Gas
Zinc Disappears
Colourless Solution Formed

Question 13

How does Iron react with dilute acid?

Answer 13

More Slowly than Zinc
Bubbles of Gas
Iron Disappears
Pale Green Solution Formed

Question 14

What is a displacement reaction?

Answer 14

A Reaction in Which a More Reactive Metal Replaces a Less Reactive One

Question 15

What is a metal oxide?

Answer 15

A Compound of a Metal and Oxygen

Question 16

What is a reducing agent?

Answer 16

Substance that Carries Out the Reduction

Question 17

What is reduction?

Answer 17

When Oxygen is Removed from a Metal Oxide

Question 18

How can a metal oxide be reduced?

Answer 18

A Metal Oxide can be Reduced by Heating it with a Metal (the Reducing Agent) that is Higher in the Reactivity Series

Question 19

Give an example of a displacement reaction that reduces metal oxides

Answer 19

It is Possible to Reduce Copper (II) Oxide by Heating it With Magnesium. As Magnesium is Above Copper in the Reactivity Series, Magnesium is More Reactive so can Displace Copper:
CuO (s) + Mg (s) → Cu (s) + MgO (s)
The Reducing Agent in this Reaction is Magnesium

Question 20

Give an example of a displacement reaction that displaces a metal from their salts

Answer 20

Zinc and Copper (II) Sulfate Solution
As Zinc is Above Copper in the Reactivity Series, Zinc is More Reactive so Can Displace Copper from Copper (II) Sulfate Solution:
Zn (s) + CuSO4 (aq) → ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu (s)