AQA Chemistry 5.4.1.1–5.4.1.2
Reactivity of metals and metal oxides
Drop metals into water, acid and each other’s solutions. Build the order from what you see, then use one idea to explain it all: how readily a metal forms positive ions.
Combined Science · Higher tier
Start here
A gold ring and an old bike.
Gold jewellery dug up after hundreds of years still shines. An iron bike left out for one wet winter goes orange-brown with rust.
If you had to guess, which metal reacts more easily?
Metals and oxygen
Gaining oxygen is oxidation.
Metals react with oxygen to produce metal oxides. These are oxidation reactions because the metal gains oxygen. The reverse, losing oxygen, is reduction.
Metal oxides are bases: they neutralise acids.
Bench · water and dilute acid, at room temperature
Watch each metal, then rank it.
Same-sized pieces, one liquid at a time. Test all eight metals; each joins the ladder once you have seen it react.
Pick a metal
Start with potassium in water.
When a metal reacts, its atoms form positive ions. The reactivity of a metal is related to its tendency to form positive ions: the more readily it does, the more vigorous the reaction. Compare metals on the same reaction, with same-sized pieces.
Displacement · predict, then look
A more reactive metal pushes out a less reactive one.
Put a metal strip in a solution of another metal’s salt. If the strip is more reactive, it displaces the other metal, which coats the strip. Choose a pair and predict.
Metal strip
Solution
Will it react?
0 of 3 predictions
Higher · ionic equations and electrons
Combined HigherOxidation is the loss of electrons and reduction is the gain of electrons. Write displacement as an ionic equation: the sulfate ions do not change, so they are left out.
- Each iron atom loses 2 electrons to become Fe2+: iron is oxidised.
- Each Cu2+ ion gains 2 electrons to become a copper atom: Cu2+ is reduced.
Think again · which way round
“Any metal can push another metal out of its solution.”
Your call
PredictA copper strip is put into iron sulfate solution. What happens?
Sort
Reaction or no reaction?
Place each mixture, at room temperature.
Tap a card, then tap the box it belongs in. Tap a placed card to take it back.
Command words in this lesson
- Deduce
- Put metals in order from the results you are given.
- Predict
- Say whether it reacts, using the positions in the series.
- Explain
- Link reactivity to the tendency to form positive ions.
Key fact
The reactivity of a metal is related to its tendency to form positive ions. A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its compounds.
Key note · AQA 5.4.1.1–5.4.1.2
Reactivity of metals
- Metals react with oxygen to produce metal oxides: oxidation, because the metal gains oxygen. Reduction is the loss of oxygen.
- Reactivity series: potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, (carbon), zinc, iron, (hydrogen), copper, silver, gold.
- With water and dilute acid at room temperature, more reactive metals react more vigorously. Copper does not react with dilute acid.
- When metals react, their atoms form positive ions. Reactivity is related to the tendency to form positive ions.
- A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from a solution of its salt.
- Higher: oxidation is loss of electrons, reduction is gain. In Fe + Cu²⁺, iron is oxidised and Cu²⁺ is reduced.
Photograph this card. Tomorrow, cover it and say each line first.
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Not sure which metal displaces which?
Observations are typical for small, same-sized pieces at room temperature. Diagrams are schematic.