Name___________________

Chem10
Due Monday 20/04/20
Danielle Akinlalu

Worksheet 3 Metals and reactivity

1 The table shows the properties of some metals. (The tensile strength of a material is a measure of how
strong it is under tension, when two ends of a piece of it are pulled apart.)

Density/g/ Melting Tensile

Metal
cm3 point /°C strength

aluminium 2.7 660 70

copper 8.9 1084 130

gold 18.9 1064 78

iron 7.9 1540 211

lead 11.3 327 16

mercury 13.6 –39 –

sodium 0.97 98 low

tungsten 19.4 3410 411

a Which metal is:

i the most dense? mercury

ii the least dense? sodium

iii the strongest? tungsten

b Which property do all metals have? good conductors of electricity

c Which metal is a liquid at room temperature? mercury

d Why is tungsten used as the filament in electric light bulbs?

It has an extremely high melting point.

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 Name___________________
Chem10
Due Monday 20/04/20
e A lump of gold is dropped into some mercury. Will it float or sink? Explain your answer.

The gold will sink. This is because gold has a higher density of 18.9 than mercury, which is 13.6.

2 Complete the table comparing the general properties of alkali metals and transition metals. Use the
words and phrases listed below.

very reactive   less reactive   high   low   sink in water   can float on water   

colourless   often coloured

Property Alkali metals Transition metals

reactivity very reactive less reactive

density can float on water sink in water

melting and
low high
boiling point

colour of salts colourless often coloured

3 Complete these sentences using the words below to fill in the gaps.

electrolysis   air   bases   reducing   ores   properties   reactive   
salt   water   carbon

Metals have many properties that make them useful. Most metals react with other

substances such as air and water. Because of this, most

metals are found combined with other elements as ores. The method used to

extract the metal depends on how reactive it is. Moderately reactive metals can be

extracted by reducing the oxide with carbon. The most reactive

metals must be extracted by electrolysis. Some metal compounds react with acids –

they are called bases. When an acid reacts with a base, a salt is formed.

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 Name___________________
Chem10
Due Monday 20/04/20

Worksheet 4 Reactions of powdered metals with metal oxides

A mixture of a powdered metal and the oxide of a different metal was heated in a series of experiments and
any observations were noted. The experiment was repeated until all combinations had been tried.

Aluminiu Magnesiu
Copper Iron Zinc
m m

Aluminiu
no reaction no reaction the mixture no reaction
m oxide
glowed with a
bright white
light

Copper
bright white a dull red huge white flash mixture
oxide
flash and glow was and lots of smoulders
bright sparks observed smoke giving off
shot in the air green flames

Iron oxide
‘burns’ no reaction very bright a dull red
brightly and white flames glow was
gets very hot; and lots of heat observed
white fumes
produced

Magnesiu
no reaction no reaction no reaction no reaction
m oxide

Zinc oxide
very little no reaction no reaction a bright light
reaction was spread rapidly
observed, just through the

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 Name___________________
Chem10
Due Monday 20/04/20

a dull glow mixture and

white smoke
was produced

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 Name___________________
Chem10
Due Monday 20/04/20
Interpreting the results

Look at the observations given in the Table and give a score from 1 to 5 for the strength of the reaction that
took place with each combination of metal and the oxide of another. A score of 0 means there was no
reaction.

Then decide, from the reactions observed, what the order of reactivity of the five metals is.

Most reactive    Least reactive

magnesium > aluminum > zinc > iron > copper

Then predict whether there would be a displacement reaction in each of the following experiments with
different combinations of metals and salt solutions shown in the table below. Place a tick (✓) in the boxes
where you think there would be a reaction.

Alumini Coppe
Iron Magnesium Zinc
um r

Aluminium
sulfate ✓

Copper
sulfate ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓

Iron sulfate ✓ ✓ ✓

Magnesium
sulfate

Zinc sulfate ✓ ✓

Give the chemical equation for the reaction between magnesium and aluminium oxide.

2 Mg + 2 AlO → Mg2O2 + 2 Al

Give the ionic equation (with state symbols) for the reaction between magnesium and zinc sulfate.

Mg (s) + ZnSO4 (s) → MgSO4 (s)

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