ACTIVITY OF METALS

Metals can be listed in order of their reactivity. We call such a list the activity series of metals.

The least active metals occur as elements, so they were known and used by ancient civilisations.
They are useful because they are stable, insoluble, do not react readily and do not corrode. Their
compounds are not so stable and are decomposed more easily.

The most active metals were only discovered more recently because they occur as stable
compounds which do not decompose when heated. Electrolysis is needed to extract very active
metals from their compounds, and this was not invented until 1800, so early civilisations never saw
these elements.

REACTIONS WITH WATER

We have already seen that active metals react with water, producing hydrogen gas and a metal
hydroxide.

Active metal + water  hydrogen gas + metal hydroxide

For example, magnesium and water:

Magnesium + water  hydrogen gas + magnesium hydroxide

Mg (s) + 2 H2O (l)  H2 (g) + Mg(OH)2 (aq)

The most active metals, e.g. potassium and sodium react vigorously with water at room
temperature.

Aluminium, magnesium and zinc react with steam but not with cold water. Metals which are less
active than iron do not react with water.

You can test that the gas produced is hydrogen by carrying out the ‘pop’ test. Collect some gas in
a test tube and place a burning taper near the mouth of the test tube. If a ‘pop’ sound occurs, then
the gas was hydrogen. The ‘pop’ occurs when the hydrogen ignites. It is like a mini explosion.

Hydrogen gas + oxygen gas  water

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2 H2 (g) + O2 (g)  2 H2O (l)

REACTIONS WITH DILUTE ACID

Most metals react with dilute hydrochloric acid and dilute sulfuric acid, forming hydrogen gas and a
salt.

Metal + dilute acid  hydrogen gas + salt

The most active metals react most vigorously. For example, magnesium reacts vigorously when
added to dilute acid. Bubbles of hydrogen gas are produced, the metal disappears, and the
container gets hot because this is an exothermic (gives off energy in the form of heat) reaction.

Magnesium + hydrochloric acid  hydrogen gas + magnesium chloride

Mg (s) + 2 HCl (aq)  H2 (g) + MgCl2 (aq)

Using dilute sulfuric acid, instead of hydrochloric acid, similar reactions occur, however the sulfate
salt is formed instead of the chloride. For example:

Magnesium + sulfuric acid  hydrogen gas + magnesium sulfate

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Mg (s) + H2SO4 (aq)  H2 (g) + MgSO4 (aq)

REACTIONS WITH OXYGEN

Reactions with oxygen are called combustion and a compound called an oxide is produced.

Metal + oxygen  metal oxide

The active metal sodium undergoes combustion spontaneously. Less active metals such as
magnesium and zinc react very slowly at room temperature, but more quickly when heated. Silver,
platinum and gold do not react with oxygen.

For example, magnesium burns readily with a very bright flame to form a white solid, producing
heat and a very bright white light (which is too bright to look at safely).

Magnesium + oxygen  magnesium oxide

2 Mg (s) + O2 (g)  2 MgO (s)

The Bunsen is needed to start burning magnesium, but once started it needs no more heat, the
combustion reaction is exothermic providing the energy to keep the magnesium burning.

ACTIVE METALS AND THE PERIODIC TABLE

These reactions support what you know about the activity of metals and the periodic table.

The activity of metals increases down a group, with the most active metals at the bottom of each
group.

The activity of metals decreases across a period, being most active in group 1, then decreasing
across group 2 to 14.

The transition elements include some of the moderately active elements, such as zinc and iron, but
also the least active metals such as copper, silver and gold.
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QUESTIONS

1. Of the metals magnesium, zinc and gold, which is the most reactive? Justify your choice.

Magnesium reacts most vigorously with water, dilute acid and oxygen.

2. Name the following substances.

(a) The white solid formed when magnesium burns in air.

Magnesium oxide

(b) The gas produced when an active metal reacts with water.

Hydrogen gas

(c) The gas produced when a dilute acid reacts with an active metal.

Hydrogen gas

(d) The solution produced when calcium reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid.

Calcium chloride solution

(e) The solution produced when dilute sulfuric acid reacts with sodium.

Sodium sulfate solution

(f) The white solid formed when aluminium burns in air.

Aluminium oxide

(g) The solution produced when water reacts with sodium metal.

Hydrogen gas

3. Complete the word equations for the following reactions.

(a) Zinc + dilute sulfuric acid  zinc sulfate + hydrogen gas

(b) Magnesium + water  magnesium hydroxide + hydrogen gas

(c) Calcium + dilute hydrochloric acid  calcium chloride + hydrogen gas

4. A metal burns vigorously with dilute hydrochloric acid, burns well in air and reacts with steam but
not cold water. In which group of the periodic table would you expect to find this metal?
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Group 2

5. The table below shows the reactions of three metals, labelled X, Y and Z. Based on the
information, list the three metals in order of increasing reactivity.

METAL REACTIONS
X No apparent reaction with oxygen.
Y Reacts vigorously with cold water.
Z Reacts slowly with dilute acids.
X, Z, Y

6. (a) Name an inactive metal.

gold

(b) Identify the gas produced when water and dilute acids react with metals.

Hydrogen gas

(c) In which part of the periodic table would you find the most inactive metals?

Transition metals

(d) The activity of metals increases/decreases across the periods of the periodic table.

decreases

(e) The activity of metals increases/decreases down groups 1 and 2 of the periodic table.

increases

(f) In which group of the periodic table would you find the most active metals?

Group 1
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EXPERIMENT: REACTIONS OF DILUTE ACIDS WITH METALS

Understanding the properties of acids and bases is vital to the understanding of the effect, on
metal structures, of water that has a low pH such as acid rain.

To investigate the effect of acids on metals we will be using hydrochloric acid (spirits of salts).
Other commonly available acids such as battery acid (sulfuric acid) or vinegar (ethanoic acid) could
also be used. This experiment will help you to develop your understanding of acids and why metal
structures are susceptible to acid rain.

MATERIALS REQUIRED PER GROUP: Bunsen burner, 6 test-tubes, dropper, taper and matches,
30 ml of freshly made 2 mol L – 1 hydrochloric acid (HCl), steel wool or emery paper, two small
pieces of each of – aluminium (Al), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), Magnesium (Mg) and zinc (Zn).

METHOD: 1. Use the steel wool to thoroughly clean the surface of the metals.

2. Place small pieces of Mg, Zn, Al, Fe and Cu into separate test tubes. Add 2 – 3 mL of 2 mol L –1
HCl to each. If there is no sign of reaction warm the mixture carefully but do not boil it. Not all the
metals will react – do not confuse air bubbles that appear in heated water with gas evolved by a
reaction.

3. If a gas is evolved, collect it by inverting another test tube over the mouth of the reaction tube.
Keep the collection tube inverted and hold a lighted taper near the open end as shown below.
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RESULTS

REACTANTS OBSERVATIONS OF THE POSSIBLE PRODUCTS

REACTION (IF ONE OCCURRED)
Bubbles Magnesium chloride and hydrogen
Mg + HCl gas

Bubbles Zinc chloride and hydrogen gas

Zn + HCl

Bubbles Aluminium chloride and hydrogen

Al + HCl gas

Bubbles Iron chloride and hydrogen gas

Fe + HCl

No reaction -
Cu + HCl

QUESTIONS

1. Which metals appeared to be the most reactive with hydrochloric acid.

magnesium

2. Explain your decision in question 1 based on the observations you made.

It bubbled a lot more compared to the other metals

3. Which of the metals appears to be the least reactive with hydrochloric acid.

copper

4. Explain your decision in question 3 based on the observations you made.

No new observations were made

5. Why do you think it was advisable to warm some of the solutions?

To speed up the rate of reaction

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