IGCSE CHEMISTRY

In this lesson we will cover:

The Reactivity Series of Metals

Displacement reactions

Oxidation and reduction

Rusting
 What is the
REACTIVITY
SERIES?
 The REACTIVITY
SERIES places metals in
order of their reactivity
based on how vigorously
they react with water and
dilute acids.
The Reactivity Series
ELEMENT

INCREASING REACTIVITY
Potassium
Sodium
Lithium
Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminium
Zinc
Iron
Tin
Lead
Copper
Silver
Gold
 The Reactivity Series
ELEMENT

INCREASING REACTIVITY
{
Potassium
Very Sodium
Lithium
reactive Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminium
Zinc
Iron
Tin
Lead
Copper
Silver
Gold
 The Reactivity Series
ELEMENT

INCREASING REACTIVITY
{
Potassium
Very Sodium
Lithium
reactive Calcium

{
Magnesium
Quite Aluminium
reactive Zinc
Iron
Tin
Lead
Copper
Silver
Gold
 The Reactivity Series
ELEMENT

INCREASING REACTIVITY
{
Potassium
Very Sodium
Lithium
reactive Calcium

{
Magnesium
Quite Aluminium
reactive Zinc

{
Iron
Not so Tin
Lead
reactive Copper
Silver
Gold
 The Reactivity Series
ELEMENT

INCREASING REACTIVITY
{
Potassium
Very Sodium
Lithium
reactive Calcium

{
Magnesium
Quite Aluminium
reactive Zinc

{
Iron
Not so Tin
Lead
reactive Copper

Unreactive
{ Silver
Gold
 Reaction with water
ELEMENT Very vigorous reaction with water,
forming the hydroxide. Fizzes, and
Potassium hydrogen is released.
Sodium
Lithium 2K(s) + 2H20(l)  2KOH(aq) + H2(g)
Calcium
Magnesium 2Na(s) + 2H20(l)  2NaOH(aq) + H2(g)
Aluminium
Zinc 2Li(s) + 2H20(l)  2LiOH(aq) + H2(g)
Iron
Tin
Lead
Copper
Silver
Gold
 Reaction with water
ELEMENT

Potassium Slow reaction with cold water (very slow

Sodium in the case of magnesium) to form the
Lithium hydroxide. Bubbles of hydrogen gas will
Calcium be seen.
Magnesium
Aluminium Ca(s) + 2H2O(l)  Ca(OH)2(aq) + H2(g)
Zinc
Iron Mg(s) + 2H2O(l)  Mg(OH)2(aq) + H2(g)
Tin
Lead
Copper
Silver
Gold
 Reaction with water
ELEMENT

Potassium
Sodium
Lithium
Calcium
Magnesium Do not react with cold water, but will
Aluminium react with steam to form the oxide.
Zinc Hydrogen gas is produced.
Iron
Tin Al(s) + 3H2O(l)  Al2O3(s) + 3H2(g)
Lead
Copper Zn(s) + H2O(l)  ZnO(s) + H2(g)
Silver
Gold Fe(s) + H2O(l)  FeO(s) + H2(g)
 Reaction with water
ELEMENT

Potassium
Sodium
Lithium
Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminium
Zinc
Iron
Tin
Lead No reaction with water
Copper
Silver or steam
Gold
 Reaction with dilute acid
ELEMENT These elements react with acid in a very
violent and dangerous manner. These
Potassium experiments would not normally be
Sodium attempted in the school laboratory.
Lithium
Calcium Examples:
Magnesium
Aluminium 2K(s) + 2HCl(aq)  2KCl(ag) + H2(g)
Zinc
Iron 2Na(s) + H2SO4(aq)  Na2SO4(aq) + H2(g)
Tin
Lead
Ca(s) + 2HNO3(aq)  Ca(NO3)2(aq) + H2(g)
Copper
Silver
Gold
 Reaction with dilute acid
ELEMENT

Potassium
Sodium These elements react reasonably well
Lithium with acid, and the reactivity decreases
Calcium as we go down the series.
Magnesium
Aluminium Examples:
Zinc
Iron Mg(s) + 2HCl(aq)  MgCl2(ag) + H2(g)
Tin
Lead Zn(s) + H2SO4(aq)  ZnSO4(aq) + H2(g)
Copper
Silver Sn(s) + 2HNO3(aq)  Sn(NO3)2(aq) + H2(g)
Gold
 Reaction with dilute acid
ELEMENT

Potassium
Sodium
Lithium
Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminium
Zinc
Iron
Tin
Lead
Copper No reaction with dilute
Silver acids
Gold
Displacement reactions
 What is a
DISPLACEMENT
REACTION?
 A DISPLACEMENT
REACTION is one in which
a more reactive metal
displaces a less reactive
metal from a compound.
 In other words, a metal
higher up in the reactivity
series will ‘push out’ a
metal that is lower in the
series.
“deduce the position of a metal within the
reactivity series using displacement
reactions between metals and their
oxides, and between metals and their
salts in aqueous solutions.”
“deduce the position of a metal within the
reactivity series using displacement
reactions between metals and their
oxides, and between metals and their
salts in aqueous solutions.”
Displacement reactions
Magnesium Iron plug
ribbon fuse

Aluminium
powder +
A very violent
iron oxide
displacement reaction
occurs
Displacement reactions
Magnesium Iron plug
ribbon fuse

Aluminium
powder +
iron oxide

Aluminium + Iron oxide  Aluminium oxide + Iron

Displacement reactions
Magnesium Iron plug
ribbon fuse

Aluminium
powder +
iron oxide

Aluminium + Iron oxide  Aluminium oxide + Iron

Al(s) + FeO(s)  Al2O3(s) + Fe(s)

“deduce the position of a metal within the
reactivity series using displacement
reactions between metals and their
oxides, and between metals and their
salts in aqueous solutions.”
Displacement reactions

Iron Copper
nail deposit

Copper Displacement Iron

sulphate reaction sulphate
solution occurs solution
Displacement reactions
A displacement reaction occurs because iron is
higher than copper in the reactivity series

Iron Copper
nail deposit

Copper Displacement Iron

sulphate reaction sulphate
solution occurs solution
Displacement reactions
A displacement reaction occurs because iron is
higher than copper in the reactivity series

Iron Copper
nail deposit

Copper Displacement Iron

sulphate reaction sulphate
solution occurs solution
Copper sulphate + Iron  Iron sulphate + Copper
Displacement reactions
A displacement reaction occurs because iron is
higher than copper in the reactivity series

Iron Copper
nail deposit

Copper Displacement Iron

sulphate reaction sulphate
solution occurs solution
CuSO4(aq) + Fe(s)  FeSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
Displacement reactions
Will displacement reactions occur?
Displacement reactions
Will displacement reactions occur?

WILL
METAL SOLUTION DISPLACEMENT
HAPPEN?

Lead Iron sulphate

Lead Copper sulphate

Iron Zinc sulphate

Tin Copper sulphate

Displacement reactions
Will displacement reactions occur?

WILL
METAL SOLUTION DISPLACEMENT
HAPPEN?

Lead Iron sulphate NO

Lead Copper sulphate YES

Iron Zinc sulphate NO

Tin Copper sulphate YES

Oxidation and Reduction
Understand oxidation and
reduction as the addition
and removal of oxidation
respectively
Oxidation and Reduction
Understand oxidation and
reduction as the addition
and removal of oxidation
respectively

Oxidation may be defined in three

ways:
1. Oxidation is the addition of
oxygen to a substance
2. Oxidation is the removal of
hydrogen from a substance
3. Oxidation is the loss of
electrons from a substance
Oxidation and Reduction
Understand oxidation and
reduction as the addition
and removal of oxidation
respectively

Examples of oxidation:

S(s) + O2(g)  SO2(g)

2CO(g) + O2(g)  2CO2(g)

Oxidation and Reduction
Understand oxidation and
reduction as the addition
and removal of oxidation
respectively

Reduction may be defined in three

ways:
1. Reduction is the removal of
oxygen from a substance
2. Reduction is the addition of
hydrogen to a substance
3. Reduction is the gain of
electrons by a substance
Oxidation and Reduction
Understand oxidation and
reduction as the addition
and removal of oxidation
respectively

Examples of reduction:

2Pb3O4(s)  6PbO(s) + O2(g)

2NaNO3(s)  2NaNO2(s) + O2(g)

Oxidation and Reduction
Understand the terms
redox, oxidising agent,
reducing agent
Oxidation and Reduction
Understand the terms
redox, oxidising agent,
reducing agent

What is
redox?
Oxidation and Reduction
Understand the terms
redox, oxidising agent,
reducing agent

? What is
redox?
 In a redox reaction, both
reduction and oxidation occur.

For example, when hydrogen is

passed over heated copper
oxide, copper and water vapour
are formed.
 Oxidation and Reduction
Anhydrous
Copper oxide copper
sulphate

Dry Excess
hydrogen hydrogen

HEAT
 In a redox reaction, both
reduction and oxidation occur.

The water vapour can be

trapped by the anhydrous
copper sulphate, turning it from
white to blue.

The excess hydrogen is burnt.

 In a redox reaction, both
reduction and oxidation occur.

HEAT

CuO(s) + H2(g)  Cu(s) + H2O(g)

 In a redox reaction, both
reduction and oxidation occur.
OXIDATION

HEAT

CuO(s) + H2(g)  Cu(s) + H2O(g)

 In a redox reaction, both
reduction and oxidation occur.
OXIDATION

HEAT

CuO(s) + H2(g)  Cu(s) + H2O(g)

REDUCTION
 In a redox reaction, both
reduction and oxidation occur.
OXIDATION

HEAT

CuO(s) + H2(g)  Cu(s) + H2O(g)

REDUCTION REDOX
Oxidation and Reduction
Understand the terms
redox, oxidising agent,
reducing agent
Oxidation and Reduction
Understand the terms
redox, oxidising agent,
reducing agent

An oxidising agent is a substance

which brings about oxidation.

Eg. by adding oxygen to something

Oxidation and Reduction
Understand the terms
redox, oxidising agent,
Eg. hydrogen peroxide
reducing agent
as an oxidising agent:

H2O2(l) + Na2SO3(aq)  Na2SO4(aq) + H2O(l)

An oxidising agent is a substance

which brings about oxidation.

Eg. by adding oxygen to something

Oxidation and Reduction
Understand the terms
redox, oxidising agent,
reducing agent
Oxidation and Reduction
Understand the terms
redox, oxidising agent,
reducing agent

A reducing agent is a substance which

brings about reduction.

Eg. by removing oxygen from

something
Oxidation and Reduction
Understand the terms
redox, oxidising agent,
Eg. carbon monoxidereducing
as agent
a reducing agent:

3CO(g) + Fe2O3(s)  2Fe(s) + 3CO2(g)

A reducing agent is a substance which

brings about reduction.

Eg. by removing oxygen from

something
Oxidation and Reduction
Describe the conditions under
which iron rusts.
Describe how the rusting of
iron may be prevented by
grease, oil, paint, plastic and
galvanising.
Understand the sacrificial
protection of iron in terms of
the reactivity series
 Oxidation and Reduction
Describe the conditions under
which iron rusts.
Describe how the rusting of
iron may be prevented by
grease, oil, paint, plastic and
galvanising.
Understand the sacrificial
protection of iron in terms of
the reactivity series

The corrosion of iron and steel is known as

rusting
 Oxidation and Reduction
Describe the conditions under
which iron rusts.
Describe how the rusting of
iron may be prevented by
grease, oil, paint, plastic and
galvanising.
Understand the sacrificial
protection of iron in terms of
the reactivity series

Rusting is an oxidation process as it

results it the formation of iron oxide,
Fe2O3
 Oxidation and Reduction
Describe the conditions under
which iron rusts.
Describe how the rusting of
iron may be prevented by
grease, oil, paint, plastic and
galvanising.
Understand the sacrificial
protection of iron in terms of
the reactivity series

Rusting requires both oxygen and water.

In the absence of either, iron does not
rust.
 Rusting experiment
Slow Fast
No rusting
rusting rusting
Vaseline
Anhydrous
calcium
chloride

Cotton
wool

Dilute sodium
Dry air Boiled water Water chloride
solution
Moisture Air, water and
Air excluded Air and water
excluded salt
Prevention of Rusting
 Prevention of Rusting

Surfaces can be painted, greased,

covered in oil or plastic.
 Prevention of Rusting

Galvanizing :- iron or steel object is

dipped into molten zinc. Zinc is
higher in the reactivity series, so if
the surface is scratched, the zinc is
oxidised in preference to the iron.
Prevention of Rusting

Sacrificial metal,
eg magnesium
 Prevention of Rusting

Sacrificial metal,
eg magnesium

The sacrificial metal is attached to the steel object.

Since magnesium is higher than iron in the reactivity
series of metals, magnesium is oxidised in preference to
iron. The magnesium is used up in this process, but can be
renewed.