Activity Series
PURPOSE:
To expose the student to new equipment and lab procedures. And to formulate an activity series from
data gathered.
INTRODUCTION:
The activity series is a series of metals, in order of reactivity from highest to lowest. It is used to determine
the products of single replacement reactions, whereby metal A will replace another metal B in a solution if
A is higher in the series. Here are two single replacement reactions:
Mn(s) + AuCl2(aq) ----> MnCl2(aq) + Au(s)
Au(s) + MnCl2(aq) ----> Mn(s) + AuCl2(aq)
They are mirror images of each other but which one will actually occur? If we look on an activity series
chart we would find that Mn is listed as more reactive (higher on the chart) than Au. That means that Mn
metal will replace any metal, such as Au that is below it on the activity chart, from a compound such as
AuCl2. Thus Mn will end up in the compound MnCl2 and force Au to precipitate out as Au solid. In the two
reactions above, the top reaction will take place and not the bottom one. During this lab you will place a
solid metal (Au for example) and a second metal nitrate (Mn(NO3)2 as an example) together and see if
they react. If they do, then the solid metal used in the combination should be placed higher on your
activity series list then the metal in the nitrate. If no reaction occurs then the solid metal should be placed
lower on the activity series list.
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6 metals will be provided during this lab (not
necessarily the ones shown!)
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6 nitrate solutions of the metals shown above
will also be provided during this lab. Only their
metal symbol appears on the bottle but the
solution within is that metal nitrate.
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All tests will be carried out within 6 test tubes.
The test tubes will be emptied and cleaned for
you between trials.
---*--If you get into trouble and perform some procedure that
causes the lab to fail(lab equipment will no longer operate),
you can press the "Reset" button and the simulation will
return to the starting position.
---*--PROCEDURE:
1) Go to: http://eduweblabs.com/TOC/AdvChem/AdvChem.html and Choose the Activity Series Lab (see
screen shot below). Login using your first name, last name and:
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Student ID:
Teacher last name:
School abv:
Class password:
use your first and last intial (e.g. John Smith use “JS”)
slider
aiss
student6
You can adjust the background shading by clicking on the "Special" button to the right and selecting
"Background". Click on the "Special" button and select "Print Blank Report" to obtain a web page that
can be printed and used as a lab report. (the program will not be interrupted)
2) Wear your goggles. Record the metals listed on the beakers in your Data Table vertically. Now record
the solutions found on the dropper bottles horizontally in the Data Table. Since the dropper bottles only
have their metals listed, here is a list of the compounds they make:
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Cu(NO3)2
Fe(NO3)2
Co(NO3)2
Pb(NO3)2
Sn(NO3)2
Zn(NO3)2
Cr(NO3)3
AgNO3
Pt(NO3)2
Al(NO3)3
Mg(NO3)2
3) Pick up the first dropper to the left and hold it over the opening of the first test tube. While holding,
press "p" to deliver one squirt of metal nitrate solution. Put the dropper back in its bottle and pick up the
next dropper and squirt it into the second test tube. Repeat this for all 6 solutions and test tubes.
4) Pick up the tweezers and hold the tip in the mass of metal in the beaker to the far left. While holding,
press "p" to pick up a piece of metal. Carry the metal over to the first test tube, center it and press "p" to
drop it into the test tube. These pieces of metal have been cleaned and shined to remove any outside
materials. Go back and pick up a piece OF THE SAME METAL and place it in the second test tube.
Repeat for all 6 test tubes.
5) Click on the metal in the first test tube and a large close up of the test tube will appear. Notice that the
metal extends above the solution to show what the metal originally looked like. If a reaction has taken
place you will see a mass of different metal coating the surface of the original metal. If this is the case,
record an "X" in the data table where the first metal aligns with the first solution. If the original metal is not
coated then no reaction took place and leave the blank where the first metal and first solution align empty.
6) Repeat these observations and recordings for the other 5 test tubes. Click on the "Clean Rack" button
and your assistant will take the test tube rack away, dispose of the metals & solutions and clean up for
the next trial.
7. Repeat steps #3 through #6 for the next metal and record the proper data. Repeat this whole process
until all metals and solutions have been tested.
8) Calculate the requested values asked for on the lab sheet and any given by your teacher. For help on
these values click on the "Special" button and select "View Data & Hints". Select "File Report" to send
a copy to be viewed by your teacher.