Learning Objectives

By the end of this section you will:

(d) Reactivity series

2.15 understand how metals can be arranged in a reactivity series based on their
reactions with:
• water
• dilute hydrochloric or sulfuric acid.

2.16 understand how metals can be arranged in a reactivity series based on their
displacement reactions between:
• metals and metal oxides
• metals and aqueous solutions of metal salts.

2.17 know the order of reactivity of these metals: potassium, sodium, lithium,
calcium, magnesium, aluminium, zinc, iron, copper, silver, gold
 Learning Objectives

By the end of this section you will:

(d) Reactivity series
2.18 know the conditions under which iron rusts

2.19 understand how the rusting of iron may be prevented by:

• barrier methods
• galvanising
• sacrificial protection.

2.20 understand the terms:

• oxidation
• reduction
• redox
• oxidising agent
• reducing agent
in terms of gain or loss of oxygen and loss or gain of electrons.

2.21 practical: investigate reactions between dilute hydrochloric and sulfuric acids
and metals (e.g. magnesium, zinc and iron)
Displacement reactions involving metal oxides
Displacement reactions involving metal oxides

The reactivity series

Group 1

Group 2
Group 3

C (non-metal)

H (non-metal)
 Displacement reactions involving metal oxides

The reactivity series

Any metal higher in the reactivity

series will displace one lower down
from a compound

Copper(II) oxide + magnesium magnesium oxide + copper

Symbol equation: CuO(s) + Mg(s) MgO(s) + Cu(s)

The less reactive metal, copper, has been displaced from its
compound by the more reactive magnesium

Displacement reaction
 Displacement reactions involving metal oxides
Any metal higher in the reactivity series will displace one lower down
The reactivity series
from a compound

Heating copper with magnesium oxide…?

Cu(s) + MgO(s) X
Copper is not capable of displacing magnesium from magnesium
oxide, because is less reactive

Heating carbon with copper(II) oxide…?

C(s) + 2CuO(s) CO2(g) + 2Cu(s)

The black mixture glows red (heat
given out) and you are left with Carbon is capable of displacing copper from copper oxide,
pink-brown copper because it is more reactive
 Oxidation and reduction

Oxidation is gain of oxygen.

A substance has been oxidised if it gains oxygen.

Reduction is loss of oxygen.

A substance has been reduced if it loses oxygen.

CuO(s) + Mg(s) MgO(s) + Cu(s)

Redox reaction = reduction + oxidation

oxidation and reduction always occur together

 Oxidation and reduction

OIL RIG

Oxidation is… Reduction is…

• gain of oxygen • loss of oxygen
• loss of hydrogen • gain of hydrogen
• loss of electrons • gain of electrons
 Oxidation and reduction

Oxidising agent is a substance that oxidises something else, being itself

reduced.

Reducing agent is a substance that reduces something else, being itself

oxidised.

oxidation

Mg(s) + CuO(s) MgO(s) + Cu(s)

Reducing
agent
reduction
Oxidising
agent
Page 158
Mark your work
 Displacement reactions

The reactivity series

Will copper displace silver from silver nitrate solution?

copper + silver nitrate copper nitrate + silver

Symbol equation: Cu(s) + 2AgNO3(aq) Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2Ag(s)

 Displacement reactions – ionic equation

Will copper displace silver from silver nitrate solution?

Cu(s) + 2AgNO3(aq) Cu(NO3)2(aq) + 2Ag(s)

Separate the ions

Cu(s) + 2Ag+(aq) + 2NO3-(aq) Cu2+(aq) + 2NO3-(aq) + 2Ag(s)

cancel the ions that are on both sides

(spectator ions)

Cu(s) + 2Ag+(aq) Cu2+(aq) + 2Ag(s)

Ionic equation
 Practical booklet - Practical 4
Practical 4
Burning elements in oxygen

1. Burning sulfur
AIM SAFETY/HAZARDS
Sulphur is toxic so it must be carried out in a
room with lots of ventilation. Wear mask
and googles.

EQUIPMENT
 Gas jar - Blue litmus paper
 Burning spoon - Petri Dish
 Sulfur
 Bunsen burner

Method

1. Fill in the gas jar with some water and add one drop of indicator.
2. Light the Bunsen burner.
3. Put some sulfur in a burning spoon and set alight
4. As soon as the sulfur starts to burn place the burning spoon in a gas jar that contains
some water mixed with the indicator solution
5. When the reaction has stopped gently swirl the solution around noting any colour
changes
 Practical booklet - Practical 4
Results

1. What is the colour of the flame produced when sulfur burns?

__________________________________

2. What is the name of the gas formed when sulfur burns in air?
_________________________________

3. Write down the word and balanced chemical equation for this chemical reaction:
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________

4. What is the final colour of the litmus papers?

________________________________________________

5. Is it an alkali or acidic solution?

____________________________________________________________

6. Write down the word and chemical equation for the chemical reaction between the Sulphur
dioxide and water:
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________

7. Name the product formed:

___________________________________________________________

Find out the names and sources of some of the gases that produce acid rain:
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
__
 Practical booklet - Practical 4

1.
2. Burning Magnesium

AIM SAFETY/HAZARDS
Magnesium produces a very Bright light,
therefore avoid looking directly into the flame

EQUIPMENT
- Magnesium ribbon - Red litmus paper
- Tongs - gas Jar
- Spatula - Petri Dish
- Bunsen burner

Method

1. Fill in the gas jar with some water and add one drop of indicator.
2. Light the Bunsen burner.
3. Using the tong set the magnesium ribbon alight
4. Once the magnesium stops burning place the product in the petri dish.
5. With a spatula put the ashes in the water in the gas jar and gently swirl the solution
around noting any colour changes
 Practical booklet - Practical 4
Questions

1. What is the colour of the flame produced when magnesium burns?

___________________________

2. What is the name of the product formed when magnesium burns in air?
_____________________________________________________________________________

3. Write down the word and balanced chemical equation for this reaction:
____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

4. Does the product of the reaction dissolve in the water?

__________________________________

5. What is the final colour of the litmus paper?

______________________________________________

6. Is it an alkali or acidic solution?

_____________________________________________________________

7. Write down the word and chemical equation for the reaction between the magnesium oxide
and water:
___________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

8. Name the product formed:

___________________________________________________________
Page 157-158
Mark your work
Page 157-158
Mark your work
 Reactions of metals with water

The reactivity series

Metals above hydrogen in the reactivity

series react with water (or steam) to
produce hydrogen

metal + cold water metal hydroxide + hydrogen

metal + steam metal oxide + hydrogen

Metals below hydrogen in the reactivity

series do not react with water (or
steam)
 Reactions of metals with water

The reactivity series

Vigorous reactions, become less

violent in the order potassium >
sodium > lithium

metal + cold water metal hydroxide + hydrogen

Example:

2K(s) + 2H2O(l) 2KOH(aq) + H2(g)

 Reactions of metals with water

The reactivity series

• Reacts gently with cold water.

• The grey cranules sink, but are carried back
to the surface again as bubbles of hydrogen
are formed around them.
• Mixture becomes warm, as heat is produced.

Ca(s) + 2H2O(l) Ca(OH)2(s) + H2(g)

Isn’t very soluble in water, so most of it is

left as a white, insoluble solid
 Reactions of metals with water

The reactivity series

magnesium + cold water

There is almost no reaction, because magnesium becomes

coated with insoluble magnesium hydroxide, wuch prevents
further reaction

Mg(s) + 2H2O(l) Mg(OH)2(s) + H2(g)

magnesium + steam

Mg(s) + H2O(g) MgO(s) + H2(g)

magnesium burns with bright

white flame
 Reactions of metals with water

The reactivity series

Aluminium has only a very slow reaction with

steam because it is covered in a very thin, but very
strong, layer of aluminium oxide
 Reactions of metals with water

The reactivity series

• With both zinc and iron, the hydrogen comes
off slowly enough to be collected
• Neither metal burns

With zinc:
Zn(s) + H2O(g) ZnO(s) + H2(g)
Yellow when hot,
white on cooling

With iron:
3Fe(s) + 4H2O(g) Fe3O4(s) + 4H2(g)
Tri-iron tetroxide
Reactions of metals with dilute acids
Reactions of metals with dilute acids
 Reactions of metals with dilute acids

The reactivity series

Too reactive to add safely to acids,

reaction is too violent. Ca can be used if
the acid is very dilute

Metals above hydrogen in the reactivity

series react with acids to form a salt
and hydrogen

Metals below hydrogen in the

reactivity series do not react with
acids
 Reactions of metals with dilute acids

The reactivity series

metal + acid salt + hydrogen

1 metal + dilute sulfuric acid metal sulfate + hydrogen

2 metal + dilute hydrochloric acid metal chloride + hydrogen

Write symbol equations for the following reactions:

a)Calcium + hydrochloric acid

b)Magnesium + sulfuric acid
c)Aluminium + sulfuric acid
 Reactions of metals with dilute acids

The reactivity series

metal + acid salt + hydrogen

1 metal + dilute sulfuric acid metal sulfate + hydrogen

2 metal + dilute hydrochloric acid metal chloride + hydrogen

Magnesium  Reacts vigorously with cold dilute acids

 Mixture becomes hot
 Colourless solution formed

Example: Mg(s) + H2SO4(aq) MgSO4(aq) + H2(g)

Al2O3 layer
Aluminium  Aluminium is slow to start reacting, but after warming it reacts
very vigorously
 Colourless solution formed

Example: 2Al(s) + 6HCl(aq) 2AlCl3(aq) + 3H2(g)

 Reactions of metals with dilute acids

The reactivity series

metal + acid salt + hydrogen

1 metal + dilute sulfuric acid metal sulfate + hydrogen

2 metal + dilute hydrochloric acid metal chloride + hydrogen

Zinc and Iron  React slowly with cold dilute acids, but more rapidly on heating
 Mixture becomes hot

Example: Zn(s) + H2SO4(aq) ZnSO4(aq) + H2(g)

colourless
solution

Fe(s) + 2HCl(aq) FeCl2(aq) + H2(g)

coloured
solution
 Making predictions using the reactivity series

The reactivity series

 Making predictions using the reactivity series

The reactivity series

 Rusting of Iron

 Only iron and steel can rust; other metals corrode

 Both water and oxygen must be present for rusting to occur

 The rate of rusting is greatly increased by the presence of electrolytes – salt

and acid rain

 Rust is hydrated iron(III) oxide, Fe2O3.xH2O. The amount of water in rust

varies with conditions

 Rusting is a redox reaction. The change Fe to Fe3+ is oxidation

 Preventing rusting

By using barriers:

 Painting. Paints that contain lead or zinc are best at preventing rust.
Example: cars, ships, bridges

 Coating with oil or grease. Tools and machine parts are coated with grease or oil.

 Coating with plastic. Example: freezers, fence netting, garden furniture

Advantage: usually quite cheap ways of preventing rusting.

Disadvantage: once the coating is broken, the iron underneath is
exposed to water and oxygen and rusts
 Preventing rusting

By galvanising
(combination of barrier method and sacrificial protection)

• Iron is coated with a layer of zinc.

• As long as the zinc layer is unscratched, it serves as a barrier to air and water.
• However, the iron still doesn’t rust, even when some of the zinc on the surface is
scratched away to expose the iron.

Zinc is more
reactive than iron

The zinc corrodes

instead of the iron
 Preventing rusting

By sacrificial protection

• Zinc, magnesium or aluminium blocks are attached to metal hulls or keels of ships
• The corrosion of the more reactive metal prevents the iron from rusting
• Such blocks are called sacrificial anodes (have to be replaced from time to time)
 Learning Objectives

By the end of this section you will:

(d) Reactivity series

2.15 understand how metals can be arranged in a reactivity series based on their
reactions with:
• water
• dilute hydrochloric or sulfuric acid.

2.16 understand how metals can be arranged in a reactivity series based on their
displacement reactions between:
• metals and metal oxides
• metals and aqueous solutions of metal salts.

2.17 know the order of reactivity of these metals: potassium, sodium, lithium,
calcium, magnesium, aluminium, zinc, iron, copper, silver, gold
 Learning Objectives

By the end of this section you will:

(d) Reactivity series
2.18 know the conditions under which iron rusts

2.19 understand how the rusting of iron may be prevented by:

• barrier methods
• galvanising
• sacrificial protection.

2.20 understand the terms:

• oxidation
• reduction
• redox
• oxidising agent
• reducing agent
in terms of gain or loss of oxygen and loss or gain of electrons.

2.21 practical: investigate reactions between dilute hydrochloric and sulfuric acids
and metals (e.g. magnesium, zinc and iron)