IGCSE Chemistry

10.5.1 Patterns of
Reactivity

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 Contents

9F Patterns of Reactivity

Metals and water

Metals and oxygen

Metals and acid

Reactivity series and displacement

Summary activities

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 Metals and water
The Romans used lead to make water pipes but didn’t know
that lead reacts slowly with water and makes it poisonous!

Some metals react vigorously with water, some metals react

slowly and some do not react at all.
What is the best type of metal to use for water pipes?
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 Metals and water – general equation
Potassium and sodium are metals that react vigorously with
water even when a small amount of each metal is used.

When a metal reacts with water, the products are a metal

hydroxide and hydrogen gas. What is the general equation
for the reaction of a metal with water?

metal water metal hydrogen

hydroxide
What is the test that a metal hydroxide is produced?
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 Metals and water – equations
What are the products when each metal reacts with water?
What is the balanced symbol equation for each reaction?
lithium + water  lithium + hydrogen
hydroxide
2Li + 2H2O  2LiOH + H2

sodium + water  sodium + hydrogen

hydroxide
2Na + 2H2O  2NaOH + H2

potassium + water  potassium + hydrogen

hydroxide
2K + 2H2O  2KOH + H2

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 Metals and water – observations
James investigated how reactive some metals are when
they react with water and made these observations.
Metal Reaction with water
lithium Bubbles of gas are given off quite
quickly. When tested with universal
indicator the water is now alkaline.
sodium The sodium melts and skims over the
surface producing a stream of small
bubbles. Sometimes a yellow-orange
flame appeared.
potassium Potassium immediately produces a lilac
flame as it skims around the surface
making a fizzing noise.
Which of these metals is the most reactive with water?
Which of these metals is the least reactive with water?
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 Metals and water – more observations
James investigated how reactive other metals are with water
and made these observations.
Metal Reaction with water
magnesium Reacts slowly with cold water
but reacts quickly with steam.
copper No reaction.

silver No reaction.

gold No reaction.

Copper is used in plumbing and silver and gold in jewellery.

Why are these unreactive metals suitable for such uses?

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 Metals and water – using unreactive metals
The words “plumber” and
“plumbing” come from
plumbum (the Latin word
for lead) because the
ancient Romans used lead
for their water pipes.

Lead reacts very slowly with water

making it poisonous, so this metal
is no longer used in plumbing.
Copper is a much better metal for
water pipes because it does not
react at all with water – plumbers
should be renamed coppers!

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 Metals and water – order of reactivity
Put the following metals in order of reactivity based on their
reaction with water, starting with the most reactive:
copper, gold, magnesium, lithium, potassium, silver, sodium.

potassium

sodium

lithium

magnesium

copper, silver, gold

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 Contents

10.5.1 Patterns of Reactivity

Metals and water

Metals and oxygen

Metals and acid

Reactivity series and displacement

Summary activities

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 Metals and oxygen – general equation
Most metals will react with oxygen. Some metals react faster
than others and some may react very slowly or not at all.

Magnesium, for example, burns in

oxygen with a bright flame.

The magnesium reacts with oxygen

to produce magnesium oxide.

When a metal does react with oxygen, the product is a

metal oxide. What is the general equation for the reaction
of a metal with oxygen?

metal oxygen metal

oxide

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 Metals and oxygen – equations
What are the products when each metal reacts with oxygen?
What is the balanced symbol equation for each reaction?

magnesium + oxygen  magnesium oxide

2Mg + O2  2MgO

copper + oxygen  copper oxide

2Cu + O2  2CuO

iron + oxygen  iron oxide

4Fe + 3O2  2Fe2O3

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 Metals and oxygen – observations
Shaida investigated how reactive some metals are when
they react with oxygen and made these observations.
Metal Reaction with oxygen
magnesium The ribbon burned with a dazzling
white flame giving grey-white smoke
and ash.

copper The copper turnings went through

reds and oranges and then slowly got
a permanent coating of black.

iron The iron filings glowed red and

sparkled leaving a brown-black
looking solid.

Which of these metals is the most reactive with oxygen?

Which of these metals is the least reactive with oxygen?
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 Metals and oxygen – order of reactivity
Put the following metals in order of reactivity based on their
reaction with oxygen, starting with the most reactive:
copper, iron, magnesium.

magnesium

iron

copper

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 Contents

10.5.1 Patterns of Reactivity

Metals and water

Metals and oxygen

Metals and acid

Reactivity series and displacement

Summary activities

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 Metals and acid – the acid test
The first scientists to study chemistry
were called alchemists. They were
interested in many things including
finding ways of changing cheap
metals into gold. Some were very
good at making metals look gold.

Acid was used to find out if gold objects were made of real or
fake gold. Most metals react with strong acids. Gold is such
an unreactive metal that it does not react with strong acids.

This became known as “the acid test” because it stopped

tricksters making false claims that something was gold.
The phrase “the acid test” is used today to mean any
process that will reveal fakes.

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 Metals and acid – experiment

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 Metals and acid – general equation
Gold is an unreactive metal that does not react with acid.
Other metals, such as magnesium
and zinc, react with acid producing
bubbles of gas.
The “squeaky pop” test shows that
this gas is hydrogen.

When a metal reacts with acid, the products are a metal salt
and hydrogen. What is the general equation for the reaction
of a metal with acid?

metal acid metal salt hydrogen

How does the type of acid affect the type of salt produced?

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 Metals and hydrochloric acid – equations
What is made when each metal reacts with hydrochloric acid?
What is the balanced symbol equation for each reaction?
magnesium + hydrochloric  magnesium + hydrogen
acid chloride
Mg + 2HCl  MgCl2 + H2

aluminium + hydrochloric  aluminium + hydrogen

acid chloride
2Al + 6HCl  2AlCl3 + 3H2

zinc + hydrochloric  zinc + hydrogen

acid chloride
Zn + 2HCl  ZnCl2 + H2

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 Metals and sulfuric acid – equations
What is made when each metal reacts with sulfuric acid?
What is the balanced symbol equation for each reaction?
magnesium + sulfuric  magnesium + hydrogen
acid sulfate
Mg + H2SO4  MgSO4 + H2

aluminium + sulfuric  aluminium + hydrogen

acid sulfate
2Al + 3H2SO4  Al2(SO4)3 + 3H2

zinc + sulfuric  zinc + hydrogen

acid sulfate
Zn + H2SO4  ZnSO4 + H2

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 Metals and nitric acid – equations
What is made when each metal reacts with nitric acid?
What is the balanced symbol equation for each reaction?
magnesium + nitric acid  magnesium + hydrogen
nitrate
Mg + 2HNO3  Mg(NO3)2 + H2

aluminium + nitric acid  aluminium + hydrogen

nitrate
2Al + 6HNO3  2Al(NO3)3 + 3H2

zinc + nitric acid  zinc nitrate + hydrogen

Zn + 2HNO3  Zn(NO3)2 + H2

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 Metals and acid – observations
Greg investigated how reactive some metals are with hot
and cold acid and made these observations.
Metal Reaction with Reaction with
cold acid (HCl) hot acid (HCl)
magnesium Fizzed rapidly -
aluminium - Bubbled quickly
copper No reaction No reaction
iron No reaction Slow bubbling
lead No reaction Occasional bubble
calcium Really fast -
zinc Moderate bubbling -
Which of these metals is the most reactive with acid?
Which of these metals is the least reactive with acid?
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 Metals and acid – order of reactivity
Put the following metals in order of reactivity based on their
reaction with acid, starting with the most reactive:
aluminium, calcium, copper, iron, lead, magnesium, zinc.

calcium
magnesium
aluminium
zinc
iron
lead
copper
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 Metals and acid – reactivity activity

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 Contents

10.5.1 Patterns of Reactivity

Metals and water

Metals and oxygen

Metals and acid

Reactivity series and displacement

Summary activities

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 Comparing orders of reactivity
When the orders of reactivity of metals with water, oxygen
and air are compared, there is a pattern of results.
with water with oxygen with acid
potassium magnesium calcium
sodium iron magnesium
lithium copper aluminium
magnesium zinc
copper iron
silver lead
gold copper
Combining the information from all the reactions of metals
with water, oxygen and air gives an overall order of reactivity
called the reactivity series.
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 The reactivity series
The reactivity series is the list of metals placed in order of
their reactivity.
One way to remember this order is to learn this silly sentence:

potassium Please
sodium send
increasing reactivity

calcium Charlie’s
magnesium monkeys
aluminium and
zinc zebras
iron in
lead lead
copper cages
silver securely
gold guarded!

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 What is the order of metals?

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 Using the reactivity series
The reactivity series can be used to make predictions
about the reactions of metals.

 Predictions can be made potassium

about simple reactions of sodium

increasing reactivity
metals with oxygen, water calcium
and acids. magnesium
aluminium
zinc
 Predictions can also be
iron
made about more complex
lead
reactions where one metal
copper
is competing with another. silver
gold

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 Simple reactions – predictions
Use the reactivity series to predict if a reaction will take place
and how intense the reaction will be.

Metal React Prediction potassium

with sodium
calcium
gold acid no reaction magnesium
calcium water fizzing
aluminium
zinc
sodium oxygen burns vigorously iron
lead
silver oxygen very slow reaction copper
silver
zinc oxygen burns moderately gold

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 When does displacement happen?
The reactivity series can be used to predict if a metal will
react with a metal compound (e.g. chloride, nitrate or sulfate).
 If the metal is more reactive than the metal in the compound,
it competes with the less reactive metal.
more reactive less reactive more reactive less reactive
metal + metal  metal + metal
compound compound
The more reactive metal pushes out, or displaces, the less
reactive metal from its compound.
 If the metal is less reactive than the metal in the compound,
it will not compete and so there is no reaction.
less reactive
metal + moremetal
reactive
 no reaction
compound

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 Displacement reactions – examples
The reactivity series can be used to predict if a metal will
react with a metal compound.
 Will magnesium react with copper chloride?
magnesium + copper  magnesium + copper
chloride chloride
Magnesium is a more reactive metal than copper, so
magnesium displaces the copper from its compound.

 Will silver react with magnesium chloride?

silver + magnesium  no reaction
chloride
Silver is a less reactive metal than magnesium, so silver
does not displace the magnesium from its compound.

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 Displacement reactions – observation
This photograph shows what before after
happens when magnesium
reacts with copper sulfate.

Why does the blue colour of

the coppers sulfate solution
gradually disappear during
this reaction?

magnesium + copper  magnesium + copper

sulfate sulfate

Magnesium is a more reactive metal than copper and so

the magnesium displaces the copper from the copper
sulfate solution. This is why the blue colour disappears.

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 Displacement of sulfates – predictions
Use the reactivity series to predict if there is a reaction when
these metals are added to different metal sulfate solutions.

metal sulfate magnesium zinc iron copper

solution sulfate sulfate sulfate sulfate
metal
magnesium
  
zinc
  
iron
  
copper
  
 = displacement reaction
 = no reaction

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 Displacement of sulfates – magnesium
Does magnesium react with and displace these metal sulfates
and if so what products are formed?

 magnesium + copper
sulfate
 magnesium +
sulfate
copper

Mg + CuSO4  MgSO4 + Cu

 magnesium + zinc
sulfate
 magnesium +
sulfate
zinc

Mg + ZnSO4  MgSO4 + Zn

 magnesium + iron
sulfate
 magnesium +
sulfate
iron

Mg + FeSO4  MgSO4 + Fe

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 Displacement of sulfates – zinc
Does zinc react with and displace these metal sulfates
and if so what products are formed?

 zinc + magnesium  no reaction

sulfate

 zinc + iron
sulfate
 zinc
sulfate
+ iron

Zn + FeSO4  ZnSO4 + Fe

 zinc + copper
sulfate
 zinc
sulfate
+ copper

Zn + CuSO4  ZnSO4 + Cu

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 Displacement of sulfates – iron
Does iron react with and displace these metal sulfates
and if so what products are formed?

 iron + magnesium  no reaction

sulfate

 iron + zinc
sulfate
 no reaction

 iron + copper
sulfate
 iron
sulfate
+ copper

Fe + CuSO4  FeSO4 + Cu

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 Displacement of sulfates – copper
Does copper react with and displace these metal sulfates
and if so what products are formed?

 copper + magnesium  no reaction

sulfate

 copper + zinc
sulfate
 no reaction

 copper + copper
sulfate
 no reaction

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 Displacement of oxides
Displacement reactions can also occur between a metal
and a metal compound that is a solid.

aluminium + iron  aluminium + iron

oxide oxide
The more reactive aluminium wins the oxygen from the less
reactive iron. The reaction gets so hot that the iron melts!
This is the Thermit reaction and is used to weld railway lines.

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 Displacement of oxides – predictions
Use the reactivity series to predict if there is a reaction when
each mixture of a metal and a metal oxide is heated.

metal zinc iron copper

oxide oxide oxide oxide
metal
zinc
 
iron
 
copper
 
 = displacement reaction
 = no reaction

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 Displacement of oxides – zinc
Does zinc react with and displace these metal oxides
and if so what products are formed?

 zinc + copper
oxide
 zinc oxide + copper

Zn + CuO  ZnO Cu

 zinc + iron
oxide
 zinc oxide + iron

3Zn + 2Fe2O3  3ZnO + 2Fe

 Zinc is the more reactive than copper and iron.

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 Displacement of oxides – iron
Does iron react with and displace these metal oxides
and if so what products are formed?

 iron + zinc
oxide
 no reaction


iron + copper  iron oxide + copper
oxide
2Fe + 3CuO  Fe2O3 + 3Cu

 Iron is less reactive than zinc but more reactive than copper.

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 Displacement of oxides – copper
Does copper react with and displace these metal oxides
and if so what products are formed?

 copper + zinc
oxide
 no reaction

 copper + iron
oxide
 no reaction

 Copper is less reactive than zinc and iron and will not
displace either of these metals.

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 Displacement reactions – activity
Use the reactivity series to predict if each mixture will react.

Reactants Reaction?
iron oxide magnesium
 potassium
sodium
copper
sulfate
zinc
 calcium
magnesium

potassium hydrochloric aluminium
acid
zinc
gold iron
chloride  iron
lead
calcium sodium
chloride  copper
silver
calcium oxygen
 gold

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 Displacement reactions – activity
Use the reactivity series to predict if each mixture will react
and complete the word equation.

magnesiu + aluminium  magnesium + aluminium

m oxide oxide

magnesiu + iron  magnesium + iron

m chloride chloride

silver + zinc  no reaction

oxide

copper + gold  copper + gold

nitrate nitrate

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 Contents

10.5.1 Patterns of Reactivity

Metals and water

Metals and oxygen

Metals and acid

Reactivity series and displacement

Summary activities

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 Glossary
displaced metal – The metal that is pushed out of a
compound by a more reactive metal.
displacement – A reaction in which a more reactive
metal replaces a less reactive metal in a compound.
reactive – A substance that reacts quickly or easily.
reactivity – How quickly or easily a substance will react.
reactivity series – The list of metals placed in order of
their reactivity starting with the most reactive.
tarnished – A metal that has become dull after reacting
with water and oxygen in the air.
Thermit reaction – The displacement reaction between
aluminium and iron oxide that is used to weld railway lines.
unreactive – A substance that reacts very slowly or
does not react at all.

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 Anagrams

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 True or false?

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 Multiple-choice quiz

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