Page 251 What does the reactivity series tell us?
Page 261 Experiment: What is the percentage of
1. a) Spontaneous
b) Spontaneous
c) Non-spontaneous
d) Non-spontaneous
e) Spontaneous
f) Spontaneous
2. Gold will not react with an acid such as
hydrochloric acid as gold is the least reactive
metal in the series and will not displace hydrogen
ions from an acid.
Page 255 Which species are capable of movement
in a voltaic cell?
1. Anions from the salt bridge move into the anode
cell to maintain charge balance as electrons are
lost from the anode into the external circuit.
Cations from the salt bridge move into the cathode
to counter balance the electrons that move into
the cathode from the external circuit.
Page 255 Experiment: Investigating a voltaic cell
1. Identify the anode and cathode cell; identify the
composition of the electrolyte in each cell and the
molarity; label the polarity of the electrodes; draw
the symbol for a voltmeter in the external circuit;
identify the direction of the electron flow in the
external circuit; nominate and name the electro-
lyte for the salt bridge and state its molarity.
2. Half reactions should be charged balanced (states
of matter not required).
Page 261 Voltaic cells
1. a) Zn(s) + Pb2+(aq) → Zn2+(aq) + Pb(s)
b) Fe(s) + 2Cu+(aq) → Fe2+(aq) + 2Cu(s)
c) Mg(s) + Sn2+(aq) → Mg2+(aq) + Sn(s)
d) Ni(s) + Br2(l) → Ni2+(aq) + 2Br–(aq)
e) Na(s) + Ag+(aq) → Na+(aq) + Ag(s)
Page 261 Experiment: What is the percentage of
oxygen in atmospheric air?
1. The steel wool will change color from gray to
red/brown.
2. Approximate values of 16–20% should be
calculated.
3. The value calculated experimentally maybe lower
than the percentage of oxygen in atmospheric air
as the amount of steel wool used in experiments
may not have been sufficient to extract all of the
dissolved oxygen from the water during the
oxidation process.
© Oxford University Press 2018
oxygen in atmospheric air?
4. 4Fe(s) + 3O2(g) → 2Fe2O3(s)
This is the simplified version of the chemical
equation of a series of more complex reactions.
5. Elemental iron has undergone oxidation in the
presence of oxygen and water.
Page 264 Demonstration: Electrolysis of molten
zinc chloride
1. Initially when the zinc chloride is a solid, the light-
bulb is not lit. As the zinc chloride begins to melt,
the lightbulb begins to flicker and eventually is
fully lit. As solid ionic compounds, the ions in zinc
chloride are unable to move between the
electrodes to complete the circuit and therefore
no electrons will flow in the external circuit. When
zinc chloride is molten, the redox reactions at the
anode and cathode will proceed, ions in the
molten electrolyte can pass between the
electrodes, electrodes will begin to flow from the
anode to the cathode and the bulb will be lit.
2. Anode: 2Cl–(l) → Cl2(g)+ 2e–
Cathode: Zn2+(l) + 2e– → Zn(s)
Overall: 2Cl–(l) + Zn2+(l) → Cl2(g) + Zn(s)
Page 265 How are sodium metal and chlorine gas
produced commercially?
1. Melting (or fusion); solid to liquid.
Page 266 How are sodium metal and chlorine gas
produced commercially?
1. Yellow-green vapor produced (chlorine gas).
Page 269 Demonstration: The reaction between
concentrated hydrochloric acid and ammonia
1. After a period of time, a ring of white smoke will
appear inside the glass or plastic tubing.
2. The precipitate which forms is called ammonium
chloride, NH4Cl(s).
3. The ammonium chloride forms closer to the end of
the plastic tubing where the chlorine was
introduced. From this observation you can infer
that the ammonia molecules traveled at a faster
rate than the chlorine molecules. This inference is
supported by the fact that ammonia has a smaller
molar mass than chlorine and therefore the
molecules will have a larger kinetic energy at a
given temperature.
1
Page 270 Demonstration: Reaction between
zinc and iodine and the diffusion of iodine gas
in the air
1. Zinc powder is gray in color and the iodine
crystals are a purple/black color.
2. The name of the salt formed in this reaction is zinc
iodide, ZnI2.
3. Iodine can undergo the process of sublimation,
where a solid changes state directly to a gas. This
process requires energy, which is derived from
the exothermic reaction between zinc and iodine.

Summative assessment
Electrochemical cells
1. There are six possible reactions. List the balanced half-cell reaction at both the
anode and cathode. For the mark, the equation that occurs at the anode must
have been reversed.
Anode half-equation Cathode half-equation Overall chemical reaction
Zn ↔ Zn2+ + 2e– Fe2+ + 2e– ↔ Fe Zn + Fe2+ → Zn2+ + Fe
Zn ↔ Zn2+ + 2e– Cu2+ + 2e– ↔ Cu Zn + Cu2+ → Zn2+ + Cu
Zn ↔ Zn2+ + 2e– Ag+ + e– ↔ Ag Zn + 2Ag+ → Zn2+ + 2Ag
Fe ↔ Fe2+ + 2e– Cu2+ + 2e– ↔ Cu Fe + Cu2+ → Fe2+ + Cu
Fe ↔ Fe2+ + 2e– Ag+ + e– ↔ Ag Fe + 2Ag+ → Fe2+ + 2Ag
Cu ↔ Cu2+ + 2e– Ag+ + e– ↔ Ag Cu + 2Ag+ → Cu2+ + 2Ag

2. Zn + Fe2+ → Zn2+ + Fe Zinc is oxidized, iron is reduced.

Zn + Cu2+ → Zn2+ + Cu
Zn + 2Ag+ → Zn2+ + 2Ag
Fe + Cu2+ → Fe2+ + Cu
Fe + 2Ag+ → Fe2+ + 2Ag
Cu + 2Ag+ → Cu2+ + 2Ag
Zinc is oxidized, copper is reduced.
Zinc is oxidized, silver is reduced.
Iron is oxidized, copper is reduced.
Iron is oxidized, silver is reduced.
Copper is oxidized, silver is reduced.

3. i) Two separate cells that contain an electrolyte and an electrode; symbol for
voltmeter drawn in the external circuit; wires connecting the electrodes in
either cell; a salt bridge connecting the two separate cells; concentration of
electrolytes and the temperature of the system is at standard conditions
(see page 255 of MYP Chemistry for a labelled diagram).
ii) Cathode and anode labelled clearly.
iii) For example: Fe2+; Cu2+; H+; OH–.
iv) All nitrate salts are soluble so the presence of nitrate ions will not form
precipitates in the cells; sodium is a reactive metal and the sodium ion is
unlikely to undergo reduction.
v) The direction of the movement of electrons is from the anode to the cathode.

4. Tin is a less reactive metal when compared to the alkali metals such as sodium
and potassium. At the cathode, tin(II) ions from the aqueous solution will
undergo reduction forming elemental tin. A grey solid will begin to plate onto
the surface of the cathode:
Sn2+(aq) + 2e– → Sn(s)
At the anode, iodide ions will be preferentially oxidized:
2I–(aq) → I2(l) + 2e–

Identifying a reactivity series

5. The hypothesis should outline the relationship between copper, zinc and
magnesium in terms of the electrochemical series; and which of these species
will be preferentially oxidized or reduced.

2 © Oxford University Press 2018

 6. Design should include clear statement of:
 independent and dependent variables
 rationale for the method and practical details, including
o correct names of apparatus used in your design
o amounts and concentration of chemicals being used
 consideration of safety, ethical and environmental issues
 description of the step-by-step methodology for the investigation, including
the construction of the voltaic cells
 description of how qualitative observations will be recorded
 identification of the quantitative data that will be recorded and the design of
data tables to present this information
Marks awarded on a scale from 0 marks for a completely inadequate design to 8
marks for an exemplary design.

Identifying a reactivity series – analysis and evaluation

7. Magnesium is able to displace copper ions from solution as it is higher in the
reactivity series and will preferentially undergo oxidation. Copper ions will be
reduced;
Zinc is able to displace copper ions from solution as it is higher in the reactivity
series and will preferentially undergo oxidation. Copper ions will be reduced;
Lead is able to displace copper ions from solution as it is higher in the reactivity
series and will preferentially undergo oxidation. Copper ions will be reduced;
Magnesium is able to displace lead ions from solution as it is higher in the
reactivity series and will preferentially undergo oxidation. Lead ions will be
reduced;
Zinc is able to displace lead ions from solution as it is higher in the reactivity
series and will preferentially undergo oxidation. Lead ions will be reduced;
Magnesium is able to displace zinc ions from solution as it is higher in the
reactivity series and will preferentially undergo oxidation. Zinc ions will be
reduced.

8. Suitable hypothesis is suggested; hypothesis is testable; hypothesis is based on

scientific reasoning; method for the investigation takes into consideration
significant factors that may influence the reliability of the data.

9. Any evaluation of the methodology should examine strengths; and weaknesses

that are realistic and relevant; extensions to the experiment should result in
new knowledge about the concept.

Chemistry throughout the centuries

10. Students may mention the following points in their response:
 The change in appearance of the laboratories over time;
 The clothes worn by the scientists in the different images;
 The lack of electricity in the images when compared to a modern laboratory;
 The agenda of the early scientists compared to the modern scientific
community.

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