LAB - Activity Series in Metals (Cations)
Name: __________________
Purpose: To determine the relative reactivity of six metals (cations = Ag, Cu, H, Mg, Pb, and Zn) and rank the metals
from highest reactivity to lowest reactivity. NOTE: While hydrogen is not a metal, it does act as a cation.
Materials:
15 test tubes
Test tube rack
Magnesium Metal (x5)
Zinc Metal (x5)
Copper Metal (xt)
Safety Goggles
Magnesium Sulfate solution – MgSO4
Lead (II) Nitrate solution – Pb(NO3)2
Hydrochloric Acid solution – HCl
Copper (II) Sulfate solution – CuSO4
Silver Nitrate solution – AgNO3
Procedures:
1) Clean each piece of metal with sand paper (to remove the metal oxide on the exterior)
2) Label each test tube with the name of the metal solutions (three test tubes for each solution)
3) Add approximately 1 mL of each solution to each of the three marked test tubes. You should now have three
sets of the five solutions (MgSO4, Pb(NO3)2, HCl, CuSO4, AgNO3)
4) Collect five pieces of each of the three metals (Copper, Zinc, and Magnesium)
5) Add one piece of Copper metal to each of the five solutions
6) Record your immediate observations for the copper metal.
7) Add one piece of Zinc metal to each of five solutions
8) Record your immediate observations for the copper zinc.
9) Add one piece of Magnesium metal to each of the five solutions
10) Record your immediate observations for the magnesium metal.
11) You have just performed 15 possible chemical reactions (3 metals x 5 solutions). After several minutes check
each test tube again and add additional observations if any.
Data: (Record your observations on a separate piece of paper, but include a basic description below). If no reaction
occurred, please write NR. If a reaction did occur, record the color, texture of the new substance. Please ignore the
small boxes until the data analysis section.
MgSO4 Pb(NO3)2
Cu -
Copper
Zn -
Zinc
Mg -
HCl
CuSO4 AgNO3
Magnesium
Mg
H
Data Analysis: A single replacement reaction occurs when the metal (element) replaces the cation in the aqueous
solution.
The more reactive metal = aqueous cation.
(Magnesium on top) Mg
The less reactive metal = solid metal.
(Hydrogen gas on bottom) H
Most
Reactive
12) For each of the 15 possible reactions above, order the metal (cations) with the more reactive
element on top and the less reactive element on the bottom. Remember that the LESS reactive metal
(on bottom) will be in a solid form.
13) Examine the data and rank the six metals (cations = Ag, Cu, H, Mg, Pb, and Zn) from most reactive
to least reactive. Record your data in the boxes on the left. This ranking from most reactive to least
reactive is called an activity series.
NOTE: While hydrogen is not a metal, it does act as a cation.
Least
Reactive
14) NOTE: You do not have enough data to determine if Pb or H is more reactive. Please know that a
solid piece of lead (Pb) would have dissolved in the HCl and would have displaced hydrogen gas.
Examine the 15 possible reactions and write balanced chemical reactions for those that did undergo a single
replacement reaction. Remember to include phase labels in these balanced equations: