REACTIVITY SERIES SERIES

Metal + Water → Metal hydroxide + Hydrogenįor example, lithium reacts with cold water to form lithium hydroxide and hydrogen gas. Some metals react with cold water to form a metal hydroxide and hydrogen gas. More reactive metals also have more vigorous reactions.

REACTIVITY SERIES SERIES

Whereas, metals at the bottom of the series do not lose electrons easily, some are even resistant to oxidation. The metals at the top of the series oxidise (lose electrons) more easily.

As it is a measure of how reactive a metal is. The more easily a metal atom loses electrons, the higher the metals is placed in the reactivity series. Metals lose electrons to form positive ions (cations).

Carbon and hydrogen are non-metals, which are often included in the reactivity series for comparison.

At the top, we have the most reactive metals and we have the least reactive metals at the bottom. Copper cannot displace aluminium from aluminium nitrate.The reactivity series is a list of metals which are arranged in order of their reactivity. So, no reaction takes place when copper is dipped in the solution of aluminium nitrate. You can refer to reactivity series to get an answer. What happens when copper is dipped in aluminium nitrate solution. Gold cannot displace copper from copper sulphate. So, when gold is dipped in the solution of copper sulphate, no reaction takes place. What happens when gold is dipped in copper sulphate solution? Gold is less reactive than copper. So, silver does not react with copper sulphate solution. Following equation shows this reaction.īut what happens when silver is kept in copper sulphate solution? Silver is less reactive than copper. So, when copper is dipped in solution of silver nitrate, it displaces silver and forms copper nitrate. That's why they displace copper from its salt solution.Ĭopper is more reactive than silver nitrate. In above examples, iron, aluminium and zinc are more reactive than copper. In these reactions, aluminium sulphate and zinc sulphate are formed in that order. Following are equations for these reactions. So, aluminium and zinc displace copper from the solution of copper sulphate. This is a classical example of displacement reaction.įe + CuSO 4 ⇨ FeSO 4 + Cu Aluminium or Zinc with Copper SulphateĪluminium and zinc are more reactive than copper. The colour of iron sulphate solution is light green. Why does this happen? This happens because iron (being more reactive than copper) displaces copper from copper sulphate solution, and makes iron sulphate. What happens when iron nail, or iron blade is kept immersed in copper sulphate solution? Most of you will quickly reply that the blue colour of copper sulphate fades away and is replaced by light green colour. The colour of copper sulphate solution is blue. You may have come across this example in previous classes as well. The reaction between iron and solution of copper sulphate is probably the most famous reaction to illustrate displacement reaction. Metal A + Salt of metal B ⇨ Salt of metal A + Metal Bįig Ref: NCERT Textbook Class 10 Science Displacement Happens? General equation for displacement reaction is given below. You may reacll that when a more reactive metal reacts with the salt solution of a less reactive metal, it displaces the less reactive metal from the salt to make its own salt.

You must have read about displacement reaction in chapter on Chemical Reaction and Equations. Reactivity of some metals are given in descending order K > Na > Ca > Mg > Al > Zn > Fe > Pb > Cu

Remaining metals are moderately reactive. You will notice that potassium and sodium are at the top of the reactivity series. These metals are known as noble metals, because they are almost un-reactive. You will notice that copper, gold, and silver are at the bottom of the reactivity series because these are the least reactive metals. This means that the most reactive metal is at the top while the least reactive one is at the bottom. Reactivity of metals decreases on moving from top to bottom in the given series. The order of intensity of reactivity of metals is known as reactivity series of metals. Metals and Non-metals Reactivity Series of Metals

Reactivity series