Reactivity series
A list of metals in order of how readily they react. Potassium, sodium, calcium and magnesium are near the top. Copper and gold are near the bottom.
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Analogy
It works like a league table. A higher metal beats a lower metal in a reaction.
Example
Potassium, sodium, calcium,magnesium, aluminium, (carbon),zinc, iron, (hydrogen),copper, silver, gold
In practice
A common order is potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, carbon, zinc, iron, hydrogen, copper, silver, gold.
Practice
Interview questions
- Explain why aluminium is extracted by electrolysis but iron can be extracted with carbon.
- Aluminium is more reactive than carbon
- Carbon cannot displace aluminium from its oxide
- Iron is less reactive than carbon
- Electrolysis needs a lot of electricity so it costs more
Questions people ask
How do you work out the reactivity of a metal?
Compare how vigorously metals react with water, acid and oxygen. The faster the reaction, the higher the metal. Displacement reactions help too: if metal A displaces metal B from its compound, A is more reactive. Potassium reacts violently with water. Copper does not react at all.
Why is carbon in the reactivity series?
Carbon is not a metal, but it can displace metals from their oxides. It is placed in the list to show which metals can be extracted by heating with carbon. Metals below carbon, like iron and zinc, can be. Metals above, like aluminium, cannot.