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The Reactivity Series
Understanding the REACTIVITY SERIES helps predict how different metals will react with a variety of substances, including acids and water.
The Order of Reactivity
- The series ranks metals from the most reactive to the least based on how easily they lose electrons and form positive ions (cations).
- The MORE EASILY a metal LOSES electrons and forms POSITIVE IONS, the MORE REACTIVE it is.
Reactivity with Water and Acids
- You can find out how reactive a metal is by observing its reaction with WATER and ACID.
- The MORE VIOLENT the reaction, the MORE REACTIVE the metal.
- Highly reactive metals like POTASSIUM (K), SODIUM (Na), and LITHIUM (Li) react the most vigorously with water and acid, producing hydrogen gas.
- This reaction can be EXPLOSIVE with these metals due to their high reactivity.
- Metals like MAGNESIUM (Mg) and CALCIUM (Ca) also react with water and acid but LESS vigorously than the metals higher up in the series.
- ZINC (Zn) and IRON (Fe) do NOT react with liquid water, instead the water needs to be in the form of STEAM in order to react. Which shows that they have an even LOWER reactivity. They react with acid very slowly in comparison to the metals above.
- COPPER (Cu), is the only one that does not react with water OR acids, showing that it is at the bottom of this reactivity series.
Reaction Equations: Metal and Water
Reaction Equations: Metal and Acids
The Reactivity Series
Understanding the REACTIVITY SERIES helps predict how different metals will react with a variety of substances, including acids and water.
The Order of Reactivity
- The series ranks metals from the most reactive to the least based on how easily they lose electrons and form positive ions (cations).
- The MORE EASILY a metal LOSES electrons and forms POSITIVE IONS, the MORE REACTIVE it is.
Reactivity with Water and Acids
- You can find out how reactive a metal is by observing its reaction with WATER and ACID.
- The MORE VIOLENT the reaction, the MORE REACTIVE the metal.
- Highly reactive metals like POTASSIUM (K), SODIUM (Na), and LITHIUM (Li) react the most vigorously with water and acid, producing hydrogen gas.
- This reaction can be EXPLOSIVE with these metals due to their high reactivity.
- Metals like MAGNESIUM (Mg) and CALCIUM (Ca) also react with water and acid but LESS vigorously than the metals higher up in the series.
- ZINC (Zn) and IRON (Fe) do NOT react with liquid water, instead the water needs to be in the form of STEAM in order to react. Which shows that they have an even LOWER reactivity. They react with acid very slowly in comparison to the metals above.
- COPPER (Cu), is the only one that does not react with water OR acids, showing that it is at the bottom of this reactivity series.
Reaction Equations: Metal and Water
Reaction Equations: Metal and Acids
