2.15: Understand How Metals can be Arranged in a Reactivity Series Based on their Reactions with: Water and Dilute Hydrochloric or Sulfuric Acid

REACTIVITY SERIES:

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METAL	REACTS WITH WATER	REACTS WITH ACID
MOST REACTIVE
POTASSIUM
SODIUM
LITHIUM
CALCIUM
MAGNESIUM
ALUMINIUM
CARBON
ZINC
IRON
HYDROGEN
COPPER
SILVER
GOLD
LEAST REACTIVE

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ARRANGEMENT OF METALS IN REACTIVITY SERIES BASED ON REACTION WITH WATER AND ACIDS

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Metals on top of reactivity series will react more vigorously with Water and Dilute Acids as they are more reactive, whilst Metals at the bottom of the reactivity series will react slowly or will not react with Water and Dilute Acids as they are less reactive

*REACTION WITH WATER:

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The table below shows how the Metals from the reactivity series reacts with Water:

METAL	REACTION WITH WATER
POTASSIUM	Violently Melts into a shiny ball that dashes around the surface Burns with a Lilac-coloured flame
SODIUM	Very quickly Bubbles of Gas Melts into a shiny ball that dashes around the surface
LITHIUM	Quickly Bubbles of Gas
CALCIUM	More slowly Bubbles of Gas White precipitate produced
ELEMENTS BELOW CALCIUM IN REACTIVITY SERIES WILL NOT REACT WITH WATER

*REACTION WITH DILUTE HYDROCHLORIC ACID OR SULFURIC ACID:

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The Table Below Shows How the Metals from the Reactivity Series Reacts with Water:

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METAL	REACTION WITH DILUTE ACID
POTASSIUM	Reacts vigorously Bubbles of Gas Potassium disappears
SODIUM	Reacts vigorously Bubbles of Gas Sodium disappears
LITHIUM	Reacts vigorously Bubbles of Gas Lithium disappears
CALCIUM	Reacts vigorously Bubbles of Gas Calcium disappears
MAGNESIUM	Reacts quickly Bubbles of Gas Magnesium disappears Exothermic Colourless solution formed
ZINC	Reacts more slowly than Magnesium Bubbles of Gas Zinc disappears Colourless solution formed
IRON	Reacts more slowly than Zinc Bubbles of Gas Iron disappears Pale Green solution formed
ELEMENTS BELOW IRON IN REACTIVITY SERIES WILL NOT REACT WITH ACIDS