5.

3) THE REACTIVITY SERIES OF METALS

Reactivity Metal Symbol Reaction With Water Reaction With Dilute Acids Reaction With Oxygen
Most Potassium K All react vigorously All react violently Burn vigorously and
reactive Sodium Na with hissing sound ( These reaction are brightly
Hydrogen gas extremely dangerous Metal oxide formed
released because they may cause
Metal hydroxide explosions)
form
Calcium Ca React readily
Hydrogen gas
released
Calcium hydroxide
formed
Magnesiu Mg Do not react with React readily and give
m cold water off gas bubbles
Aluminiu Al React with hot Hydrogen gas released Burn if metal strongly
m water or steam Metal salt formed heated
Zinc Zn Hydrogen gas Metal oxide formed
Iron Fe released
Tin Sn No reaction React very slowly Metal do not burn
Lead Pb Hydrogen gas released Layer of metal oxide
Copper Cu No reaction formed on the surface
when strongly heated
Silver Ag No reaction
Least
Gold Au
reactive
 5.3) THE REACTIVITY SERIES OF METALS
Based on the reactivity metals with oxygen, metals can be arrange in a reactivity
series as follow:
Potassium MOST REACTIVE
Sodium
Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminium
Zinc
Iron
Tin
Lead
Copper
Silver
Gold

LEAST REACTIVE
 5.3) THE REACTIVITY SERIES OF METALS
In the reactivity series the higher series the position of the metal, the more
readily the metal will react with oxygen

Therefore, in the reactivity series, potassium is the most reactive metal and gold
is the least reactive metal
 5.3) THE REACTIVITY SERIES OF METALS

THE POSITION OF CARBON IN THE REACTIVITY SERIES

Determine by comparing its attraction for oxygen with other metals.

When carbon is heated with an oxide of metal, the oxide loses oxygen if the
carbon is more reactive than the metal
Based on the experiment, the iron oxide and zinc oxide lose oxygen when they
react with carbon. However, aluminium oxide does not react with carbon.
This mean that carbon is more reactive than iron and zinc but less reactive than
aluminium.

The position of carbon in reactivity series as follow:

5.3) THE REACTIVITY SERIES OF METALS
Potassium MOST REACTIVE
Sodium
Calcium
Magnesium
Aluminium
CARBON
Zinc
Iron
Tin
Lead
Copper
Silver
Gold
LEAST REACTIVE