The Reactivity Series of Metals – Part 1

Key questions
• How do different metals react with oxygen and water?
• What is the reactivity series of metals?
• What is a redox reaction in terms of oxygen?

Starter: Can you put the metals in order from most reactive to least reactive?

•Only one metal is less reactive than Silver

(Ag).
•Lead (Pb) is more reactive than Silver (Ag),
but less reactive than Iron (Fe).
•Aluminium (Al) is the most reactive of these
metals. But it's covered in a layer of
Aluminium Oxide (Al2O3), so it doesn't seem
very reactive.
•Copper (Cu) is more reactive than Silver (Ag),
but less reactive than Lead (Pb).
These are the magnetic
metals:
1) Iron
2) Cobalt Good conductors of
Good conductors of heat
3) Nickel
electricity

Shiny

Dense Sonorous

High melting point Malleable Ductile

 Why do metals tarnish?

Metals react with oxygen to form metal oxides in an oxidation

reaction.

metal + oxygen metal oxide

 What is the balanced symbol equation for each reaction?

magnesium + oxygen magnesium oxide

2Mg + O2 2MgO

copper + oxygen copper oxide

2Cu + O2 2CuO

iron + oxygen iron oxide

4Fe + O2 2Fe2O3
 Table 1 shows the melting points of a number of metal oxides in degrees Celsius. It also shows
the chemical formula of the metal and when the metal was discovered.

1a. What is the link between the melting point of the oxide and:
i the date when the metals were discovered
ii the reactivity of the metal?

2. Draw a diagram to show the bonding in:

a. Silver oxide
b. Zinc oxide

3. How will the strength of the bond between the metal and the oxygen atoms link to the melting point?

4a. What do the chemical formulas of most of the metal oxides in the table have in common?
b. Which metal oxide does not follow this pattern?
c. Does this mean that the conclusion that you drew in question 1 is still valid?
Found as a metal ore: A naturally
occurring compound found in the
Earth’s crust. Needs to be
chemically separated before the
metal can be used as an element.

Found as a native metal: occurs in

pure form in the Earth’s crust

Many metal ores are oxides. To

obtain the metal, the oxygen
must be removed by
reduction.
 Why does iron rust?

Rust forms when iron reacts with oxygen AND water to form
hydrated iron (III) oxide.

Which other metals react with water? What can you remember
from KS3?
 Metals and Water
You will observe the reaction of a number of different metals with
water. Record all your observations in the results table. Use your
observations to work out an order of reactivity for the metals.

Lithium Sodium Potassium

Can we go even more reactive?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m55kgyApYrY
 Metal Observations Names of products Order of reactivity
fairly vigorous fizzing, lithium slowly
lithium hydroxide,
lithium dissolves, purple solution with 3
hydrogen
universal indicator (UI)
vigorous fizzing, sodium moves
sodium hydroxide,
sodium around on the surface, quickly 2
hydrogen
dissolves, purple solution with UI
very vigorous fizzing, potassium
moves around on the surface, catches potassium hydroxide,
potassium 1
fire, very quickly dissolves, purple hydrogen
solution with UI
gentle fizzing, calcium slowly calcium hydroxide,
calcium 4
dissolves, purple solution with UI hydrogen
magnesium hydroxide,
magnesium a few bubbles, very slow reaction 5
hydrogen
zinc no reaction no reaction 6=
iron no reaction no reaction 6=
copper no reaction no reaction 6=
 When the alkali metals react with water they produce a
Metal
_____ hydrogen gas.
hydroxide and ________
_________

Potassium + Water Potassium + Hydrogen

Hydroxide

2K + 2H2O 2KOH + H2

Write a word and balanced symbol equation for the reaction of

sodium plus water and lithium plus water.

1 Describe how you judged the order of reactivity of these metals.

2 Explain why it is not possible to deduce a complete order of reactivity.
3 Following the addition of universal indicator state what your observations tell
you about the type of solution formed when a metal reacts with water.
4 a What gas is always produced if the metal reacts with water?
b Describe how you could test for the gas produced when calcium reacts with
water.
 Sodium + Water Sodium + Hydrogen
Hydroxide
2Na + 2H2O 2NaOH + H2

Lithium + Water Lithium + Hydrogen

Hydroxide
2Li + 2H2O 2LiOH + H2

1 The order of reactivity of these metals was judged by how vigorously they fizzed
(or how quickly they dissolved).
2 Zinc, iron, and copper don’t react with water so we can’t observe their relative
reactivity.
3 Purple with universal indicator means the solutions are alkaline.
4 a Hydrogen is always produced.
B A lighted splint would pop.
7 (e) Lithium hydroxide and hydrogen are produced when lithium reacts with water.

7 (e) (i) Describe what you would see when lithium is added to water.

............................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................

............................................................................................................................................

.................................................................................................................................(2 marks)

7 (e) (ii) Complete the word equation for the reaction between lithium and water.

lithium + water ->................................................. + ............................................. (1 mark)

 Order of Order of
Metal Observations Names of products Metal Observations Names of products
reactivity reactivity
lithium lithium

sodium sodium

potassium potassium

calcium calcium

magnesium magnesium

zinc zinc

iron iron

copper copper

Order of Order of
Metal Observations Names of products Metal Observations Names of products
reactivity reactivity
lithium lithium

sodium sodium

potassium potassium

calcium calcium

magnesium magnesium

zinc zinc

iron iron

copper copper
Teacher demonstration
Large trough of water
Two safety screens
Tweezers
Filter paper
4 boiling tubes and rack
Small piece of sodium, potassium, lithium calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and
copper
•Universal indicator