HKDSE CHEMISTRY — A Modern View (Second Edition)

Part III Metals

Chemistry: Chapter 11 Reactivity of metals

Combined Science (Chemistry Part): Chapter 11 Reactivity of metals

Structured questions

Section 11.1
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A student added zinc granules to dilute hydrochloric acid.

(a) Write a chemical equation for this reaction. (1 mark)

(b) State ONE use of the gas produced in the experiment. (1 mark)

(c) Y is a more reactive metal than zinc. Compare the observations of zinc and Y
towards dilute hydrochloric acid. (1 mark)

(d) State TWO safety precautions for carrying out this experiment. (2 marks)

(e) State ONE hazardous nature of dilute hydrochloric acid. (1 mark)

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(a) Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq)  ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g) 1
(b) It is used as a rocket fuel / to make hydrochloric acid / to make margarine
/ to make fertilizers. 1
(c) More colourless gas bubbles would evolve from the surface of Y than
from the zinc surface. 1
(d) Wear safety spectacles. 1
Dispose of the wastes into labelled waste bottles. 1
(e) It is irritating / corrosive. 1
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Consider the following three metals:
sodium, magnesium, copper

(a) Describe what would be observed when each of the above metals is strongly
heated. (3 marks)

(b) Write the chemical equations for each of the reactions involved in (a). (3 marks)

(c) (i) State which of the above metals react(s) with cold water. (1 mark)

(ii) Write the chemical equation(s) for the reaction(s) involved in (c)(i). (1 mark)

(d) Arrange the above metals in descending order of reactivity. (1 mark)

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(a) Sodium would burn vigorously with a golden yellow flame and produce a
white powder. 1
Magnesium would burn with a very bright white flame and produce a
white powder. 1
Copper would not burn but its surface would turn black. 1
(b) 4Na(s) + O2(g)  2Na2O(s) 1
2Mg(s) + O2(g)  2MgO(s) 1
2Cu(s) + O2(g)  2CuO(s) 1
(c) (i) Sodium 1
(ii) 2Na(s) + 2H2O(l)  2NaOH(aq) + H2(g) 1
(d) Sodium, magnesium, copper 1

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A student investigated the reaction of zinc with water.

(a) State any observable change when zinc granules were added to cold water.
(1 mark)

(b) The student carried out an experiment using the set-up as shown below.
zinc granules

gas X
wet sand heat

water

(i) What is the function of the wet sand in the set-up? (1 mark)

(ii) Write a chemical equation for the reaction involved. (1 mark)

(iii) Suggest a chemical test for gas X. (2 marks)

(c) The student repeated the experiment in (b) by using iron nails instead of zinc
granules. State and explain whether the reaction would become more vigorous or
not. (2 marks)

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(a) Zinc granules sink in water. 1
(b) (i) The wet sand contains water. When it is heated, the water evaporates.
The steam produced would pass to react with zinc granules. 1

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(ii) Zn(s) + H2O(g)  ZnO(s) + H2(g) 1

(iii) Test the gas with a burning splint. 1
It burns with a ‘pop’ sound. 1
(c) The reaction would be less vigorous 1
because iron is lower than zinc in the metal reactivity series. 1
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A student learnt that both sodium and calcium are reactive metals. After studying the
properties of sodium, the student made the following predictions about calcium:

Calcium is a shiny metal. It reacts vigorously with cold water and moves
very quickly on the water surface. The resultant solution formed is alkaline.

(a) There are TWO mistakes in the student’s prediction. Suggest corrections for
them. (2 marks)

(b) Hydrogen is produced during the reaction.

(i) Write a chemical equation for the reaction of calcium with water. (1 mark)

(ii) Suggest a chemical test for hydrogen. (2 marks)

(c) Suggest a method to show that the resultant solution is alkaline. (2 marks)

(d) Filter the resultant solution. The filtrate can be used to test for the presence of
carbon dioxide.
(i) State the observable change when carbon dioxide is bubbled into the filtrate.
(1 mark)

(iii) Write a chemical equation, with state symbols, for the reaction between the

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filtrate and carbon dioxide. (1 mark)

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(a) Calcium is a dull metal. 1
It reacts readily with cold water and it sinks in water. 1
(b) (i) Ca(s) + 2H2O(l)  Ca(OH)2(aq) + H2(g) 1
(ii) Test the gas with a burning splint. 1
It burns with a ‘pop’ sound. 1
(c) Any ONE:
- Test it with a red litmus paper. 1
It turns the red litmus paper blue. 1
- Test it with a pH paper. (1)
It turns the pH paper blue. (1)
- Test it with universal indicator. (1)
It turns the universal indicator blue. (1)
(Accept other reasonable answers)
(d) (i) The filtrate turns milky. 1
(ii) Ca(OH)2(aq) + CO2(g)  CaCO3(s) + H2O(l) 1
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Section 11.2
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A student carried out an experiment to investigate the reaction between potassium and
water.

(a) State ONE safety precaution that the student should take. (1 mark)

(b) State TWO observations that the student could make. (2 marks)

(c) After the reaction, the student tested the resultant solution with a piece of red
litmus paper. What would happen to the red litmus paper? (1 mark)

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(d) Caesium is an alkali metal below potassium in the Periodic Table. Compare the
reactivity of caesium and potassium towards water. Explain your answer.(2
marks)

(e) Describe how potassium can be stored in the school laboratories. (1 mark)

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(a) Any ONE:
- Wear safety spectacles 1
- Wear protective gloves (1)
- Use a small piece of potassium for the experiment. (1)
(b) Any TWO:
- Potassium melts to form a silvery ball. 1
- Potassium moves about quickly on the water surface. 1
- A hissing sound is heard. (1)
- Potassium burns with a lilac flame. (1)
(c) The red litmus paper turned blue. 1
(d) Caesium would react with water more vigorously than potassium. / The
reaction is explosive. 1
The reactivity of Group I metals increases down the group. 1
(e) It can be stored under paraffin oil. 1
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Sections 11.311.7
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Chromium can be extracted by heating a mixture of chromium(III) oxide and
aluminium.

(a) Write a word equation for the reaction between chromium(III) oxide and
aluminium. (1 mark)

(b) What does this reaction tell us about the positions of chromium and aluminium in
the metal reactivity series? (1 mark)

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*(c) Outline an experiment to compare the positions of chromium and iron in the
metal reactivity series. (4 marks)

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(a) chromium(III) oxide + aluminium  chromium + aluminium oxide 1
(b) Chromium is lower than aluminium in the metal reactivity series. 1
(c) - Dip a piece of iron in a solution of chromium(III) salt. 1
- If displacement reaction occurs (as indicated by shiny deposits of
chromium), it indicates that iron is higher than chromium in the
metal reactivity series. 1
- If there is no apparent change, it indicates that iron is lower than
chromium in the metal reactivity series. 1
- Communication mark 1
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Barium is an alkaline earth metal.

(a) State the number of electrons in the outermost shell of a barium atom. (1 mark)

(b) Barium reacts with chlorine to give barium chloride.

(i) Write a chemical equation for the reaction involved. (1 mark)

(ii) Draw the electron diagram for barium chloride, showing electrons in the
outermost shells only. (1 mark)

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(c) Besides by the direct combination of barium with chlorine, barium chloride can
also be prepared by the reaction of barium hydroxide solution with hydrochloric
acid. Write a chemical equation for the reaction of barium hydroxide solution
with hydrochloric acid. (Hint: Water is also produced in the reaction.) (1 mark)

(d) Predict, with explanation, whether barium or magnesium is more reactive

towards chlorine. (2 marks)

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(a) 2 1
(b) (i) Ba(s) + Cl2(g)  BaCl2(s) 1
(ii)

(c) Ba(OH)2(aq) + 2HCl(aq)  BaCl2(aq) + 2H2O(l) 1

(d) Barium is more reactive towards chlorine. 1
The reactivity of Group II metals increases down the group. 1
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When a piece of aluminium is put into copper(II) nitrate solution, displacement
reaction occurs.

(a) State and explain TWO observable changes. (4 marks)

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(b) Write an ionic equation for the reaction involved. (1 mark)

(c) State and explain whether similar observations in (a) could be made when
aluminium is replaced by zinc. (2 marks)

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(a) Any TWO:
- The blue solution becomes paler 1
because the amount of copper(II) ions decreases. 1
- Aluminium dissolves in the solution 1
because aluminium displaces copper from the solution to form
aluminium ions. 1
- Reddish brown deposits form on the aluminium surface (1)
because copper(II) ions are displaced out from the solution. (1)
(b) 2Al(s) + 3Cu2+(aq)  3Cu(s) + 2Al3+(aq) 1
(c) Similar observations could be made when aluminium is replaced by zinc 1
because zinc is also more reactive than copper. 1
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Manganese can be extracted from its ore pyrolusite (MnO 2) by the reaction with
carbon monoxide.

(a) Write an equation for the reaction between manganese(IV) oxide (MnO 2) and
carbon monoxide. (1 mark)

(b) Predict, with reason, whether manganese is more reactive than silver. (2 marks)

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(c) Iron is the metal next to manganese in the Periodic Table.

(i) State how iron is extracted from its ore. (1 mark)

(ii) A student stated that iron is more reactive than manganese because iron has
a higher atomic mass. Comment on the statement. (1 mark)

(iii) Briefly describe how to compare the reactivity of manganese and iron.
(2 marks)

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(a) MnO2(s) + 2CO(g)  Mn(s) + 2CO2(g) 1
(b) Manganese is more reactive than silver. 1
Silver can be extracted easier (by heating the ore alone) from its ore. 1
(c) (i) Heating the iron ore, coke, limestone and air in a blast furnace. 1
(ii) The statement is incorrect. The reactivity of a metal depends on how
readily its atoms lose electrons, but not the atomic mass of the metal. 1
(iii) Dip a piece of manganese in a solution of iron(II) salt. 1
If displacement reaction occurs, it indicates that manganese is more
reactive than iron. 1
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