Name: …………………… ( )

Chem!stry Class: ………………

Date: …… / …… / ……

The Reactivity Series of Metals

Displacement Reactions of Metals and the
Extraction of Metals from their Compounds
Macroconcept: System

The Reactivity Series of Metals

The reactivity series of metals is given below:

• Most reactive: Potassium K valency = 1

Sodium Na valency = 1
Calcium Ca valency = 2
Reactivity Decreases

Magnesium Mg valency = 2
Aluminium Al valency = 3
(Carbon) C valency = 4
Zinc Zn valency = 2
Iron Fe valency = 2, 3
Tin Sn valency = 2, 4
Lead Pb valency = 2, 4
(Hydrogen) H valency = 1
Copper Cu valency = 1, 2
Silver Ag valency = 1
• Least Reactive: Gold Au valency = 1, 3


Note: carbon and hydrogen are non-metals, but have been included for reference.

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 Displacement Reactions of Metals
A more reactive metal (high in the reactivity series) can displace a less reactive
metal (low in the reactivity series) from its compounds. For example, magnesium
can displace copper from its compounds:

magnesium + copper(II) sulfate → magnesium sulfate + copper

Reactive magnesium
displaces the less
reactive copper from Mg(s) + CuSO4(aq) → MgSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
its compounds.

An ionic equation can also be written for this reaction. An ionic equation
concentrates on the species that are reacting, and ignores the species that are
not reacting – so-called spectator ions.
If the above equation is re-written, breaking the copper(II) sulfate down into its
component ions, we get:

Mg(s) + Cu2+(aq) + SO42–(aq) → Mg2+(aq) + SO42–(aq) + Cu(s)

From this it can be seen that the magnesium is taking part in the reaction,
starting as Mg(s) and finishing as Mg2+(aq). The copper is also participating in the
reaction, starting as Cu2+(aq) and finishing as Cu(s). However, the sulfate ion is
an un-reactive spectator ion. It is chemically unchanged by the reaction, starting
and finishing as SO42–(aq).
If the equation is re-written once again, ignoring the sulfate ion, we get:

Mg(s) + Cu2+(aq) + SO42–(aq) → Mg2+(aq) + SO42–(aq) + Cu(s)

This finally gives us the ionic equation for the reaction:

Mg(s) + Cu2+(aq) → Mg2+(aq) + Cu(s)

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 A less reactive metal (low in the reactivity series) cannot displace a more
reactive metal (high in the reactivity series) from its compounds. For example,
zinc cannot displace sodium from its compounds:
zinc + sodium chloride → No observed reaction

Zinc cannot displace

the more reactive
sodium from its Zn(s) + NaCl(aq) → No observed reaction
compounds.

Look at the following pairs of chemicals. Use the reactivity series of metals to
decide whether or not a chemical reaction takes place when the two
chemicals are mixed together. Write a word equation, a balanced chemical
equation and an ionic equation for each reaction that you think will take place.

1 Write “no reaction” if you think that no chemical reaction will take place.

1. Word Equation:
Zinc Metal
Chemical
+
Equation:
Copper(II) Sulfate
Solution Ionic Equation:

2. Word Equation:
Lead Metal
Chemical
+
Equation:
Silver Nitrate
Solution Ionic Equation:

3. Word Equation:
Silver Metal
Chemical
+
Equation:
Magnesium
Chloride Solution Ionic Equation:

4. Word Equation:
Aluminium Metal
Chemical
+
Equation:
Iron(III) Chloride
Solution Ionic Equation:

3
 When copper metal is added to an aqueous solution of silver nitrate, a solid Y
and a solution Z is formed. Identify the solid Y and the solution Z. Would you
expect the reaction between iron metal and an aqueous solution of silver
nitrate to be faster of slower than the reaction between copper metal and an
2 aqueous solution of silver nitrate? Explain your answer:

Y = ………………………… Z = …………………………
Rate of reaction: ………………………………………………………………………..
Explanation: ………………………………………………………………………..

The Extraction of Metals from their Compounds

Very few metals are found as the pure element in nature. Most are found
chemically combined with oxygen. Some examples are given in the table below:

Metal: Found in nature as: Name of oxide:

Iron Iron (III) oxide – Fe2O3 Haematite
Aluminium Aluminium oxide – Al2O3 Bauxite
Tin Tin (IV) oxide – SnO2 Cassiterite

Before metals, such as copper, can be put to good use, they must first be
extracted from their oxide. This can be achieved by reacting the metal oxide with
charcoal (carbon). If the charcoal is more reactive than the metal, it will remove
the oxygen from the metal oxide and leave a trace of the metal in the reaction
vessel.

4
 In the diagram below, copper(II) oxide is strongly heated with charcoal (carbon)
in a crucible. Because carbon is higher than copper in the reactivity series, it is
more reactive than copper, and so can displace copper from its oxide:

copper(II) oxide + carbon → copper + carbon dioxide

2CuO(s) + C(s) → 2Cu(s) + CO2(g)

Crucible and
lid. Contains
Pipe-clay CuO(s) + C(s).
triangle.

Tripod.
Bunsen burner.

Copper can also be extracted from copper(II) oxide by heating it in a stream

of hydrogen gas. Why is this possible? Write a balanced chemical equation
for the reaction:
Reason: ……………………………………………………………………………….

3 Balanced chemical equation: ……………………………………………………….

Which is the most suitable method for extracting iron from iron(III) oxide,
heating the iron(III) oxide with carbon, or heating the iron(III) oxide in a
stream of hydrogen gas? Give a reason for your answer. Write a balanced
chemical equation to illustrate the method that you have chosen:

4 Most suitable method: ……………………………………………………………….

Reason: ……………………………………………………………………………….
Balanced chemical equation: ……………………………………………………….

5
 Metals such as sodium and aluminium are more reactive than carbon and
therefore cannot be extracted form their oxides by heating with charcoal.
Suggest an element that could be used to extract sodium and aluminium from
their oxides. What problem is associated with using this method to extract

5 sodium and aluminium?

Element that could be used: ………………………………………………………..
Problem: ………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………….

Elements such as sodium and aluminium are actually extracted from their
compounds by electrolysis. This involves passing an electric current through the
molten compound.
For example, in the extraction of aluminium from aluminium oxide, the positive
aluminium ions are attracted to the negative electrode (cathode) where they
receive electrons to form atoms of aluminium:

aluminium ions + electrons → aluminium atoms

Al3+(l) + 3e– → Al(l)

The negative oxide ions are attracted to the positive electrode (anode) where
they lose electrons to form molecules of oxygen:

oxide ions – electrons → oxygen

2O2–(l) → O2(g) + 4e–

Write balanced chemical equations, similar to the ones above, to show how
sodium is extracted from molten sodium chloride by electrolysis:
At the negative electrode: ………………………………………………………….
At the positive electrode: ………………………………………………………….
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
Note: a positive ion is called a cation. A negative ion is called an anion.

6
 The Discovery of Metals and their Position in the Reactivity Series

Consider the reactivity series of the metals as you answer the following
questions:

Which metallic elements were used by ancient civilisations thousands of

7 years ago? Why have these metallic elements been available for so long?
Metals: ………………………………………………………………………………...
Reason: ……………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….

Which metallic elements have only been extracted from their compounds
recently (in the past 200 years)? Why were these metals not extracted form
their compounds earlier?
Metals: ………………………………………………………………………………...

8 Reason: ……………………………………………………………………………….
………………………………………………………………………………………….

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 Reflect on What You Have Learnt
1. Name a metal that can displace zinc from its compounds.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
2. Name a metal that iron can displace from its compounds.
…………………………………………………………………………………….

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3. Define the term displacement reaction.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
4. Give one example of a displacement reaction.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
5. Name an element that can be extracted from its oxide by carbon.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
6. Write a balanced chemical equation to illustrate your answer to Qu. 5.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
7. Name an element that can be extracted from its oxide using hydrogen.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
8. Write a balanced chemical equation to illustrate your answer to Qu. 7.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
9. Name an element that is usually extracted from its oxide by electrolysis.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
10. Write a balanced chemical equation, as well as ionic half-equations, to
illustrate your answer to Qu. 9.
…………………………………………………………………………………….
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