Junior Science

Activity Series
The Activity series is a list of metals in order of their
reactivity.

The position of each metal is decided by observing

how they behave during chemical reactions with
water, dilute acid and oxygen.
The most reactive are placed at the top of the
series.
The least reactive at the bottom of the series

Metals and Reactivity

Devise a experiment to compare the reactivity of different
metals with water and acid (HCl).
Magnesium (Mg), Zinc (Zn), Calcium (Ca) and Copper (Cu).
What equipment would be need and best suited?

What precautions would you take?

How would you make it a fair test?
Devise a table to record your results?

Describe the your observations in the table.

Write a summary of your result and observation?

Reactions with Oxygen

Potassium
Sodium

Burns readily in air.

Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminum
Zinc
Iron
Lead

Burns Slowly in Air.

Hydrogen

Not a metal but acts like a metal in chemical reactions.

Copper
Mercury

React at the surface only. Copper forms a black coat of Copper

oxide.
Mercury form a red coat of mercury oxide.

Silver
Gold

Reacts slowly in air.

Does not react with air.

Reactions with Water

Potassium
Sodium
Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminum
Zinc
Iron

Lead

React violently with water releasing hydrogen which catches on fire

React vigorously with water releasing hydrogen

All Liberate hydrogen from water.

Reactions become less vigorous as you move down.
React very slowly with water.

Hydrogen
Copper
Mercury
Silver
Gold

Do not react with water.

Reactions with Acid

Potassium
Sodium

Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminum
Zinc
Iron
Lead

React violently with acid releasing hydrogen

All Liberate hydrogen from dilute acid.

Reactions become less vigorous as you move down.

React very slowly with dilute acid.

Hydrogen

Copper
Mercury
Silver
Gold

Do not react with dilute acid.

Flame Tests
Burning a substance can be used as a way to test for the
presence of a particular metal.
Sodium

Copper

Yellow

Blue/Green

Calcium

Red

Barium

Green

Potassium

Lilac

Remembering the Activity Series

Pretty
Sally
Could
Marry
A
Zulu
In
Lovely
Honolulu
Causing
Many
Strange
Gazes

Potassium
Sodium
Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminium
Zinc
Iron
Lead
Hydrogen
Copper
Mercury
Silver
Gold

K
Na
Ca
Mg
Al
Zn
Fe
Pb
H
Cu
Hg
Ag
Au

Come from
their Greek or
Latin names

Hydrogen is not a
metal but acts like
a metal in
chemcial reactions

Demonstration of a Displacement Reaction

Summary
The Activity series is a list of metals in order of their
reactivity.

The position of each metal is decided by observing

how they behave during chemical reactions with
water, dilute acid and oxygen.
The most reactive are placed at the top of the
series.

The least reactive at the bottom of the series