Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: ___________ Period: ________
Metal Reactivity lab
Problem: What is the order of metal reactivity from most reactive to least reactive (copper-Cu, magnesiumMg, or zinc- Zn)?
Hypothesis: I believe ________ will be the most reactive, followed by ___________, and the least
reactive being ___________.
Procedure: Add a few drops of each nitrate to each of the three metals and record if a chemical reaction occurs.
Results:
Metal
Cu
Reaction? Y or
N
Describe if Y
Cu(NO3)2
Mg (NO3)2
Zn(NO3)2
Ag(NO3)2
If Y- a) what
new compound
formed
b)- what came
out of solution
Mg
Reaction? Y or
N
Describe if Y
If Y- a) what
new compound
formed
b)- what came
out of solution
Zn
Reaction? Y or
N
Describe if Y
If Y- a) what
new compound
formed
b)- what came
out of solution
Analysis Questions:
1. Which metal reacted with the most solutions?
2. Which metal reacted with the least solutions?
3. If silver metal were available to be tested, which of the solutions above (if any) would you expect to reacte
with it?
Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: ___________ Period: ________
Metal Reactivity lab
4. List the metals (including silver) in order, placing the most reactive metal first (the one reacting with the
most solutions) and the least reactive metal last (the one reacting with the fewest solutions)
5. Refer to your “metal reactivity series” chart. Write a brief explanation of why the outside surface of a penny
is made of copper instead of zinc.
6. Which of the four metals mentioned in this laboratory activity might be an even better choice than copper for
the outside surface of a penny? Why?
7. Given your new knowledge about the relative chemical activities of these four metals.
a. Which metal is most likely to be found in an uncombined, or “free” (metallic) state in nature? Why?
b. Which metal is least likely to be found chemically uncombined with other elements? Why?
8. The reactions that took place in this lab and the example below are considered _______________________
_________________________ reactions because an element or ion moves out of one compound and into
another.
Li + AgNO3  Li(NO3) + Ag
Write out all of the chemical reactions that have taken place in the lab, using the above reaction as a model.
a)
b)
c)
Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: ___________ Period: ________
Metal Reactivity lab
Conclusion:
Be sure to include the following information in your conclusion. 1) What was the problem or question you
were investigating in this lab? 2) Was your hypothesis supported or rejected? 2b) What order did you find
metals to be most reactive to least reactive? 2c) Using the chart, were your results accurate? If not, what
should have been the correct order of reactivity? 2d) What are possible sources of error in your results?
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Name: _____________________________________________________ Date: ___________ Period: ________
Metal Reactivity lab
Review for Quiz – Trends in Metal Reactivty
1a. What trend in metallic reactivity is found from left to right across a horizontal row (period) of the Periodic
Table? (HINT: Compare the reactivities of sodium, magnesium, and aluminum).
1b. In which part of the Periodic Table are the most-reactive metals found?
1c. Which part of the PT contains the least reactive metals?
2. Will Iron (Fe) metal react with a solution of lead (II) nitrate, Pb(NO3)2? Why or why not?
2b. Will platinum (Pt) metal reacte with a lead (II) nitrate solution? Why or why not?
3. Use specific examples from the activity series in your answers to these two questions.
a. Are least reactive metals also the cheapest metals?
b. If not, what other factor(s) might influence the market value of a metal?