SDR Lab Investigation: Creating an Activity Series of Metals
Name:___________________
Partner:________________
Date Performed:______
Date Due:______________
-----------------------------------------------------Part 1---------------------------------------------------- /32
Introduction
Metals share some properties, but they don’t always react according to a trend. In chemistry,
the reactivity series (or activity series) is a list of metals, put in order of reactivity from highest
(most reactive) to lowest (least reactive). The Metal Reactivity Series is used to determine the
products of single displacement reactions in which a metal element replaces a metal cation (or
H+) in a single displacement reaction.
Purpose
The purpose of this lab is to react the metals copper, magnesium, iron and zinc with several
solutions and then rank the metals from least reactive to most reactive.
Materials
Safety glasses
Spot plate(s) with 5x6 wells
Plastic pipettes
5 pieces of copper wire
Granular magnesium
Granular iron
Granular zinc
1M HCl *DANGER* Corrosive!
0.1M copper(II)chloride
0.1M magnesium nitrate
0.1M iron(III)nitrate
0.1M zinc nitrate
Safety
All waste metals and solutions used in this lab should be disposed of in the METAL SALTS WASTE
BUCKET. They are poisonous and cannot go down the drain.
Safety glasses must be worn at all times. HCl is corrosive and produces vapours that can get stuck
behind contact lenses. If any solutions get in your eyes wash for 15 min in the eyewash station.
Procedure
1. Place your spot plates on a white sheet of paper and label them according to Table 1.
2. Place a few grains of each type of metal in the appropriate well on the spot plate.
3. Put a few drops of the appropriate solution on the piece of metal and look for any signs of a
reaction happening (bubbles, change in colour, new substance formed).
4. For each reaction, if a reaction occurs write “R” in Table 1. If no reaction occurs write “NR”.
5. Dispose of all solutions and metals in the Metal Salts waste bucket. You may need to use a
spray bottle to wash all of the chemicals into the bucket.
6. Take all of your equipment to the front sink and wash with warm soapy water and a scrub
brush and put them away.
Observations
Table 1:
(11 marks, I)
CuCl2(aq)
Mg(NO3)2 (aq) Fe(NO3)2 (aq)
Zn(NO3)2(aq)
HCl(aq)
Cu
Mg
Fe
Zn
1. Which metal reacted with the most solutions? (1 mark, I)
2. Which metal reacted with the fewest number of solutions? (1 mark, I)
3. Rank the metals from most reactive to least reactive. (3 marks, I)
The Activity Series of Metals
Although most metals lose electrons in a chemical reaction they do not do it with the same speed
and vigor. Metals react differently with different substances. The more easily a metal atom can lose
its electron, the greater is its reactivity, and the more easily oxidized it is.The activity series
(reactivity series) of metals organizes metals from the most reactive to the least reactive.
*SEE YOUR PERIODIC TABLE BOOKLET FOR A METAL REACTIVITY SERIES*
The higher the metal in the series, the more reactive it is. Metals at the bottom of the reactivity
series like gold and platinum are unreactive even in very strong acids.
We can use the activity series to predict the products of single displacement reactions.
In general, an element that is higher in the activity series will displace an element that is lower.
Hydrogen is included in the series because, like metals, it can be oxidized to form positive ions.
Practice
Predict the products of the following single displacement reactions then balance the equations. (16 marks, I)
1.
Zn + AgNO3 ---->
2.
Al + H2SO4 ---->
3.
Cl2 + KI ---->
4.
Ag + KNO3 ---->
5.
Cu + FeSO4 ---->
6.
Na + H2O ---->
7.
Fe + Pb(NO3)2 ---->
8.
Pb + Pb(NO3)2 ---->
-----------------------------------------------------Part 2---------------------------------------------------- /32
Analysis
1. Compare your rankings from Part 1 to the Metal Reactivity Series in your Periodic Table
Booklet. How do your lab results compare to the predictions made using the Metal Reactivity
Series in your Periodic Table Booklet?
(1 mark, I)
2. Use the Metal Reactivity Series in your Periodic Table Booklet to predict the products for the
reactions you performed. If there is no reaction write NR.
Fe(s) + HCl (aq)

Fe(s) + CuCl2(aq)

Fe(s) + Mg(NO3)2(aq)

Fe(s) + Fe(NO3)3(aq)

Fe(s) + Zn(NO3)2(aq)

Mg(s) + HCl (aq)

Mg(s) + CuCl2(aq)

(7 marks,I)
Mg(s) + Mg(NO3)2(aq) 
Mg(s) + Fe(NO3)3(aq)

Mg(s) + Zn(NO3)2(aq) 
Cu(s) + HCl (aq)

Cu(s) + CuCl2(aq)

(10 marks,I)
Cu(s) + Mg(NO3)2(aq) 
Cu(s) + Fe(NO3)3(aq)

Cu(s) + Zn(NO3)2(aq)

(5 marks,I)
Zn(s) + HCl (aq)

Zn (s) + CuCl2(aq)

Zn (s) + Mg(NO3)2(aq) 
Zn (s) + Fe(NO3)3(aq)

Zn (s) + Zn(NO3)2(aq)

(8 marks,I)
3. a) Give 3 examples of reactions where a metal reacts with water. (6 marks,I)
b) What gas is produced? (1 mark, I)
c) What gas test would you do to prove the presence of this gas? What would you observe?
(2 marks,I)
.
‘
ANSWERS
Predict the products of the following single displacement reactions then balance the equations. (8 marks)
1. Zn + 3AgNO3 ----> 3Ag + Zn(NO3)3
2. 2Al + 3H2SO4 ---->3 H2 + Al2(SO4)3
3. Cl2 +2 KI ----> I2 + 2KCl
4. Ag + KNO3 ----> NR
5. Cu + FeSO4 ----> NR
6. 2Na + H2O ----> H2 + Na2O
7. Fe + Pb(NO3)2 ----> Pb + Fe(NO3)2
8. Pb + Pb(NO3)2 ----> NR