Reactivity Series of Metals
Reactivity Series
• There are lots of different metals on Earth and
they all behave differently.
• You may have tested properties of many metals.
For example, strength and hardness. These are
physical properties.
• The chemical properties are also important.
How fast they react with water or acid is a
chemical property.
Reactivity Series
• Let us look at the 4 metals – copper, iron,
magnesium and zinc.
Reactivity Series
• When each of these metals are added to
hydrochloric acid (HCl) they react. Some react
faster than others.
• Let us now take a look at the reactions.
Reactivity Series
• Can you put the metals into the order of
reactivity (with the most reactive first and the
least reactive last)?
• 1 – Magnesium (Mg)
• 2 – Zinc (Zn) Most reactive
• 3 – Iron (Fe)
• 4 – Copper (Cu)
Least reactive
Metal Displacement Reactions
• The metals displacement reaction can be quite
confusing, so pay attention very carefully!!!
• In this reaction we are going to react the four metals
we have just looked at (Cu, Fe, Mg, Zn) with different
solutions.
• The solutions are:
• Copper sulphate
• Magnesium sulphate
Salt solutions
• Iron sulphate
• Zinc sulphate
Metal Displacement Reactions
Mg Zn Fe Cu
MgSO4
ZnSO4
FeSO4
CuSO4
• A small piece of each metal is placed on a spotting tile
as shown in the diagram above.
• A few drops of each solution is added to each metals
and observed carefully to see whether it reacts or not.
Metal Displacement Reactions
• If the metal reacts with the salt solution then we put
a tick in the table and if it doesn’t, we put a cross.
magnesium zinc iron copper
magnesium
x x x x
sulphate
zinc
sulphate
x x x
iron
Sulphate
x x
copper
Sulphate
x
Metal Displacement Reactions
• Look at the table carefully. Can you see a
pattern?
magnesium zinc iron copper
magnesium
x x x x
sulphate
zinc
sulphate
x x x
iron
Sulphate
x x
copper
Sulphate
x
Metal Displacement Reactions
• Let us take a look at the metals in each
reaction.
Metal Displacement Reactions
• The first obvious pattern you will notice is that none of
the metals react with the metal solution containing the
same metal.
• For example:
• magnesium doesn’t react with magnesium sulphate
• copper doesn’t react with copper sulphate
• But there is another pattern. A little more difficult to see
at first sight. Can you see it?
Metal Displacement Reactions
Magnesium + copper sulphate Reaction
(metal) (metal in sulphate solution)
Copper + magnesium sulphate No reaction
(metal) (metal in sulphate solution)
• The first reaction takes place because the metal (red) is more reactive
than the metal in the sulphate solution (green). So the more reactive
metal can displace (‘kick out’) the less reactive metal.
• The second reaction doesn’t take place because the metal (red) is less
reactive than the metal in the sulphate solution (green). So the less
reactive metal cannot displace (‘kick out’) the more reactive metal.
Metal Displacement Reactions
• Let’s look at an analogy to help us understand.
Mick Magnesium Carl Copper Suzy Sulphate
+
magnesium + copper sulphate
(Mg) (Cu) (SO4)
Metal Displacement Reaction
• Magnesium + Copper sulphate magnesium sulphate + copper
(Mick) (Carl) (Suzy) (Mick) (Suzy) (Carl)
• Mick Magnesium is a big, strong character.
• Carl Copper is a small weak character who is going out with
Suzy Sulphate.
• Because Mick Magnesium is bigger and stronger he can ‘beat
up’ (displace) Carl Copper and take Suzy Sulphate away.
• So you end up with Mick Magnesium going out with Suzy
Sulphate and Carl Copper on his own.
Metal Displacement Reaction
• Copper + magnesium sulphate copper + magnesium sulphate
(Carl) (Mick) (Suzy) (Carl) (Mick) (Suzy)
Cu + MgSO4 Cu + MgSO4
• Carl Copper who is a small and weak character cannot ‘beat
up’ (displace) Mick Magnesium who is a big and strong
character, to take away Suzy Sulphate.
• So, no reaction takes place. It remains the same.
Metal Displacement Reaction
• Let us now relate this to the chemical
reaction:
• A reaction will only take place if the metal is more
reactive than the metal in the sulphate solution.
• N.B.
• DO NOT SAY THAT THE METAL IS STRONGER. IT IS NOT.
IT IS MORE REACTIVE!
Part 4- Using Reactivity Series
Element Reaction with water
Potassium Violently
Sodium Very quickly
Lithium Quickly
Calcium More slowly
Element Reaction with dilute acids
Calcium Very quickly
Magnesium Quickly
Zinc More slowly
Iron More slowly than zinc
Copper Very slowly
Silver Barely reacts
Gold Does not react
Part 4- Using Reactivity Series
Metal J Metal L Metal K
J sulfate - No rxn No rxn
L sulfate Displaces L - No rxn
K sulfate Displaces K Displaces K -
Part 4- Using Reactivity Series
Metal A Metal B Metal C
A oxide - Displaces A Displaces A
B oxide No rxn - No rxn
C oxide No rxn Displaces C -
