Reactivity of Metals

The most reactive metal reacts even if it reacts with water and the least reactive metal does not react with concentrated acid. Aluminum is a highly active metal that is almost as reactive as sodium. Aluminum reacts violently with water to produce hydrogen, but we use aluminum to make pots and boats.

Place each metal in a clean test tube filled with water and mark the added metal symbol

If the gas generates air bubbles, please test the gas in an ignited match called an explosion test. When a slight explosion or outflow of hydrogen is released from the acid

For metals that do not react with water, pour out water in the test tube and leave unreacted metal. Cover each metal with a small amount of diluted hydrochloric acid. Pay attention to any reaction

In previous experiments, the tested metals could be classified into three groups. However, we can not distinguish which metal in the group is more or less reactive than the other metals in the group. The following experiment makes it possible to transfer a metal from the most active reaction to the most reactive reaction.

The metal drives out the less reactive metal from the solution. For example. Since zinc is more reactive than copper, zinc pieces replace copper from copper salt solution.

A solution of zinc nitrate, tin nitrate, iron nitrate, magnesium nitrate, copper nitrate, lead nitrate

Please delete the wrong word of these sentences. If reaction is observed, magnesium is more reactive than metal in solution.

Record the results in the table below. Please click this box if metal atoms in solution are less reactive than solid metal. Silver is used as an example

When copper metal is put in a silver nitrate (AgNO 3) solution, silver dissolves and copper is deposited on copper as copper dissolves. Copper replaced silver. Therefore, silver is less reactive than copper. The table below is full of silver and tin. Please note that silver reactivity is lower than all metals tested. In other words, silver atoms in solution will adhere to all the metals we test. Click to see the reaction delay between silver nitrate and copper metal

As the metals are heated they react with the oxygen in the air. When the metal is heated it reacts with oxygen to form oxides. The most active metals such as potassium and sodium burn brightly when heated. Metals with low reactivity do not burn brightly and take longer to form oxides. Some metals do not react at all. These are metals at the bottom of the reactive series such as gold. The most active metal is much faster than the less active metal. This type of reaction is called an oxidation reaction because the metal acquires oxygen.

Aluminum is the most active metal that is commonly used. All metals (calcium, sodium etc) that are more active than aluminum are unstable and require special handling. Aluminum reactivity has advantages and disadvantages. One advantage is that it reacts with oxygen in the air to form a gas-tight and invisible oxide layer on its surface, which protects the metal from environmental corrosion. On the other hand, with such reactivity, metals are difficult to separate from their ores and are expensive to produce. (Gary, 185)

Alkaline earth metal is a shiny, soft or semi-soft metal that is insoluble in water. They are generally harder and less reactive than the Group IA metals such as sodium and are softer and more reactive than Group IIIA metals such as aluminum. When combined with oxides (oxygen molecules and other elements), they form some of the most common minerals on the planet, and are used for various uses of industrial, pharmaceutical and consumer products. Some compounds emit large amounts of light when heated and become an important component of fireworks.

The reactivity of chemical elements is different. Some metals react so spontaneously and often bond with other elements such as calcium carbonate. Since other metals such as gold have very low reactivity, gold usually exists in its pure form and does not bind to the added element. Metallic sodium is highly reactive, it is never natural pure form. Sodium will happily react with oxygen in the air or water or underwater water. The history of metal drilling is related to their reactivity. Compared with the more active metals, iron, aluminum and calcium, we have historically produced the lowest levels of active metals, gold, silver and copper.