Year 10 Advanced Science Chemistry Name: ___________________

WORKSHEET ON THE REACTIVITY SERIES Answers

1) Answer the following questions.

a) Why does gold occur native (uncombined) whereas zinc does not?
Gold is an unreactive (inert) metal which is not readily combined with other elements
and will not oxidise. Unlike Zinc which is a more reactive metal and can easily react
with other elements and oxidise to Zinc Oxide.
b) Why was silver used to make coins in the past?
Silver is a rare metal, making it valuable to make coins; relatively not reactive
c) Why is copper used to make electrical cables and wires?
Copper is abundant in nature and a very good conductor of electricity copper is very
ductile (turns into wirre form)
d) Why does titanium commonly used for making space vehicles?
Titanium has many special characteristics as a durable metal with high melting point,
high strength.

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2) The following metals are listed in order of reactivity (most reactive first)
sodium > magnesium > zinc > copper
a) Describe what each metal does when
(i) Reacts with water Sodium only making sodium hydroxide, and
Hydrogen gas

(ii) heated in air Sodim and Magnesium burn easily in air

(iii)added to dilute hydrochloric acid except copper, others react

b) Which of the four metals would be suitable for making saucepans? Explain why the
others are not.

Copper as it is a durable, unreactive metal to water and acids, good conductor of heat
suitable to make saucepans. The others are too reactive especially sodium and
magnesium. Sodium will react in air or with water. Magnesium will react with acid.
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3) Describe what you would see if you dropped a piece of magnesium ribbon into some
copper sulphate solution in a test tube. Write a word equation and a chemical equationion
for the reaction.
Since Magnesium is a more reactive metal than copper, it will displace the copper in the
copper sulphate, forming magnesium sulphate the copper metal.
Magnesium + Copper Sulphate ------------ > Magnesium Sulphate + Copper

Mg(s) + CuSO4(aq) ----- > MgSO4(aq) + Cu(s)

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Year 10 Advanced Science Chemistry Name: ___________________

4) Complete the following word equations and then a chemical equation for each reaction.

a) zinc + lead nitrate solution ------ > zinc nitrate + lead

b) iron + zinc sulphate solution ------ > no reaction

as Iron is lower than zinc in the metal reactivity series; being a
weaker metal cant displace the stronger zinc from zinc
suplphate.
c) lead + copper nitrate solution ------ > lead nitrate + copper

d) magnesium + zinc chloride solution

------ > magnesium chloride + zinc

e) copper + sodium chloride solution ------ > no reaction

f) zinc + iron sulphate solution ------ > zinc sulphate + iron

g) gold + silver nitrate solution ------ > no reaction

h) calcium + magnesium nitrate solution ------ > calcium nitrate + magnesiun
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5) Three metals X, Y and Z have the following reactions:-

Y will displace X from a solution of its salt.
Z will displace both X and Y from solutions of their salts.
Place the three metals in order of reactivity, starting with the least reactive.
Least reactive X, then Y and Z (Most reactive)
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6) Here is a list of metals in order of decreasing reactivity. Q and R are mystery metals.
K > Q > Ca > Mg > Al > Zn > R > Fe > Cu
a) Will Q react with cold water? Yes
b) Will R react with cold water? No
c) Will R react with dilute hydrochloric acid? Yes
d) Will R displace copper from copper sulphate solution? Yes
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7) (i) Explain why the reactivity of metal is increasing down a group.
Li Na K (more reactive) as Li is the smallest atom, the protons tend to have more
attractions towards the outermost electrons, compared to K, larger atom and more shells of
electrons, the protons have less attraction towards the outermost electron, this electron can
tend to leave the atom easier, making K more reactive.
(ii) Explain why Sodium is more reactive than Magnesium and Aluminium.
Year 10 Advanced Science Chemistry Name: ___________________
Sodium has only 1 outermost or valency electron, compared to 2 in Magnesium and 3 in
Aluminium. It is easier for an atom to lose one electron than 2 or more, so Sodium is more
reactive.
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