Making Reactivity Series

Key Points
• Metals react differently. Some are very
reactive and others are unreactive.
• Observations of reactions can be used to put
metals into an order of reactivity.
 Lesson Objective
You will be able to define what is reactivity
You will be able to sort the metals from the
most reactive to the least reactive
You will be able to make reactivity series
 Reactivity Metals
• There are approximately 95 metals in
the periodic table.
• Metal elements are found on the left and in
the middle of the periodic table. Non-metals
are found on the right.
Metals in Periodic Table
 Unreactive Metals
• Some metals are very unreactive, meaning they
don’t easily take part in chemical reactions.
• copper is unreactive so it can be used to make
water pipes.
– This means that the water pipes will never react
with the water passing through them.
Copper
 Reactive Metals
• Other metals are very reactive, meaning they
easily take part in chemical reactions.
• Example – lithium [Li]
– It is so reactive it has to be kept under oil to
prevent it coming in contact with oxygen and
moisture in the air.
Lithium and water
 Observing Reactivity
• It is possible to decide an order of reactivity by observing
chemical reactions and comparing what is seen.
• The chemical reactions of reactive metals will often show
visible changes, such as bubbles of gas or flames being
formed.
• However, unreactive metals will show no visible
changes.
 1. Metals and oxygen
• If a metal reacts with oxygen, it produces a
metal oxide.
metal + oxygen → metal oxide
• the most reactive metals burn in oxygen with a
bright flame
• less reactive metals change colour slowly
• the least reactive metals do not react with oxygen
 2. Metals and water
• Some metals react with water, but others
don’t. When a metal reacts with water,
hydrogen gas is produced and this can catch
on fire.
 2. Metals and water

lithium Calcium silver Potassium

 3. Metals and acids
• Acids are solutions which have a pH which is less
than 7. The observations when metals react
with acids are similar to those with water.
• Unreactive metals do not react with acids,
however very reactive metals like potassium have a
very fast reaction and flames may even be seen.
 3. Metals and acids

zinc magnesium sodium copper

 Observing Reactivity
Metals Reactant Observation How vigorous the
reaction
Sodium
Lithium
Potassium
Magnesium
Copper
Silver
gold
 Put the metals in order
increasing reactivity
 The reactivity series
Combining the information from all the reactions gives an overall order of
reactivity called the reactivity series.
One way to remember this order is to learn this silly sentence:
please
send
charlie’s
monkeys
and
zebras
in
large
cages
securely
guarded!