Reactivity Series of Metals

Reactivity Series

A reactivity series is a list of metals in order of their reactivity, from most reactive to least reactive.

Key Features

• The series is based on the metals' ability to lose electrons and form ions.
• The more reactive a metal, the more easily it loses electrons.
• The reactivity series is used to predict the outcome of single displacement reactions.

Metals in the Reactivity Series

1. Alkali Metals:
   • Most reactive
   • Lose electrons easily to form +1 ions
   • Examples: Potassium (K), Sodium (Na), Lithium (Li)
2. Alkaline Earth Metals:
   • Less reactive than alkali metals
   • Lose electrons to form +2 ions
   • Examples: Calcium (Ca), Magnesium (Mg), Barium (Ba)
3. Transition Metals:
   • Less reactive than alkaline earth metals
   • Can form ions with different charges
   • Examples: Iron (Fe), Copper (Cu), Zinc (Zn)
4. Less Reactive Metals:
   • Not very reactive
   • Do not easily lose electrons
   • Examples: Silver (Ag), Gold (Au), Platinum (Pt)

Uses of the Reactivity Series

• Predicting the outcome of single displacement reactions
• Identifying the most reactive metals
• Understanding the properties of metals and their ions

Important Reactions

• Displacement reaction: a more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its compound.
• Oxidation: the loss of electrons by a metal to form an ion.
• Reduction: the gain of electrons by an ion to form a metal.