The Reactivity Series
Metal
Reaction with
dilute
hydrochloric acid
Reaction when
heated in air
(reaction with
oxygen)
Reaction with cold
water
Iron
Calcium
Sodium
Copper
Gold
Zinc
Now arrange the metals in their
correct order of reactivity and
include the metals potassium,
silver and lead.
Increasing reactivity
Magnesium
Word Equations
Fill in the gaps in these word equations to make them complete. If there is no
reaction write this in the gap.
Sodium + water
Sodium hydroxide +
Magnesium + oxygen
Iron + water (steam)
Silver + water (steam)
+ Hydrochloric acid
oxide + hydrogen
+
Calcium chloride + hydrogen
Sodium + Sulphuric acid
+ hydrogen
Copper chloride + Magnesium
+ copper
Calcium + oxygen
Silver nitrate + Iron
+
Gold + oxygen
Iron sulphate + Copper
+ Nitric acid
Zinc nitrate +
+
Potassium hydroxide + hydrogen
+
Magnesium carbonate + Iron
Magnesium Chloride + Zinc
+
Displacement Reactions
A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its compounds.
There are many ways to help you remember how displacement reactions work.
Model 1
The metals football league:
Potassium Rangers
The metals nearer the top
are stronger teams and
they always beat the
teams that are lower than
them.
Sodium City
Magnesium United
Zinc City
Iron Town
The league works like this: The
teams play for a cup (the
Chloride Cup). The team at home
is always the cup holder. If the
away team beats them then they
take home the cup, if the home
team wins then they keep the
cup.
Copper United
Gold United
Example:
Home
Away
Winners
Losers
Zinc City
Sodium City
Sodium City
Zinc City
Chloride cup
Chloride Cup
Reaction:
Zinc Chloride
+
Sodium
Sodium Chloride
+
Zinc
Model 2
Another way is to think of the metals in the reactivity series as boys of varying strength. The
strength (and temper) of the boys increases as you go up the table.
+
+
Colin Copper and
Suzie Sulphate.
Peter Potassium is
stronger than Colin
Copper so fights
him……………
……and takes Suzy
sulphate away.
Colin Copper
is all alone.
Reaction:
Copper Sulphate +
Potassium
Potassium Sulphate
+
Copper