Reactivity Series Flashcards

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  • Look through all the flashcards to see what's on both sides.
  • Make sure you understand the information on each card. If something's unclear, click the link to the revision notes at the bottom of the page for more details.

2️⃣ Test yourself:

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Note: We may include questions that have multiple correct answers. It's useful to remember specific examples to understand these concepts better.

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What is meant by the reactivity series?

The reactivity series is a list of metals, plus carbon and hydrogen, arranged from most reactive at the top to least reactive at the bottom.

How is the reactivity series usually written?

It is written as a vertical list, with the most reactive substances at the top and the least reactive at the bottom.

Put these in order from most to least reactive using the reactivity series: potassium, zinc, copper, magnesium, iron.

The order is: potassium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper.

Name three metals that are very reactive and near the top of the reactivity series.

Potassium, sodium and calcium are all very reactive metals near the top.

Name three metals that are low down in the reactivity series and quite unreactive.

Copper, silver and gold are low in the series and are quite unreactive.

Where are carbon and hydrogen placed in the reactivity series?

Carbon is between aluminium and zinc. Hydrogen is between iron and copper.

Why are carbon and hydrogen included in the reactivity series even though they are not metals?

They let us compare how metals react with them. This helps us decide how to extract metals and whether a metal will react with acids.

What does being high up in the reactivity series tell you about a metal?

A metal high in the series loses electrons easily and forms positive ions quickly.

How was the order of metals in the reactivity series found?

Scientists compared how metals reacted with water, steam, dilute acids and oxygen, and used the results to put them in order.

How can you use the reactivity series to predict if one metal will displace another from a compound?

If the metal you add is higher in the reactivity series than the metal in the compound, a displacement reaction will happen. If it is lower, no reaction happens.

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