Reactivity Series: H2O, Acid, C, H

metal + water → ??

metal + water → metal hydroxide + hydrogen gas

metal + steam → ??

metal + steam → metal oxide + hydrogen gas

metal + hydrochloric acid → ??

metal + hydrochloric acid → metal chloride + hydrogen gas

metal oxide + carbon [with heat] → ??

metal oxide + carbon → metal + carbon dioxide gas

*redox

metal oxide + hydrogen gas [with heat] → ??

metal oxide + hydrogen gas → metal + steam

K (s) + H2O (l) → ??

2K (s) + 2H2O (l) → 2KOH (aq) + H2 (g)

Cold water:

• Reacts very violently

• Enough heat produced to cause hydrogen gas to catch fire and explode

Steam:

• Reacts explosively

Na (s) + H2O (l) → ??

2Na (s) + 2H2O (l) → 2NaOH (aq) + H2 (g)

Cold water:

• Reacts violently

• Hydrogen may catch fire and explode

Steam:

• Reacts explosively

Ca (s) + H2O (l) → ??

2Ca (s) + 2H2O (l) → 2CaOH (aq) + H2 (g)

Cold water:

• Reacts readily

Steam:

• Reacts explosively

Mg (s) + H2O (l) → ??

2Mg (s) + 2H2O (l) → 2MgOH (aq) + H2 (g)

Cold water:

• Reacts very slowly

• A test tube of H2 is only produced after a few days

Steam:

• Hot Mg reacts violently

• A bright white glow is produced

Al (s) + H2O (l) → ??

4Al (s) + 3O2 (g) → 2Al2O3 (s)

• Appears unreactive because it readily reacts with O2 in the air to form a solid layer around the Al metal, preventing further reaction

Zn (s) + H2O (l) → ??

Zn (s) + H2O (l) → ZnO (s) + H2 (g)

No reaction with cold water

Steam:

• Hot Zn reacts readily

• Yellow when hot, white when cold

Fe (s) + H2O (l) → ??

2Fe (s) + 4H2O (l) → Fe3O4 (s) + 4H2 (g)

No reaction with cold water

Steam:

• Red-hot Fe reacts slowly

• Fe must constantly be heated for reaction to progress

Pb (s) + H2O (l) → ??

No reaction

Cu (s) + H2O (l) → ??

No reaction

Ag (s) + H2O (l) → ??

No reaction

K (s) + HCl (aq) → ??

2K (s) + 2HCl (l) → 2KCl (aq) + H2 (g)

• Reacts explosively

Na (s) + HCl (aq) → ??

2Na (s) + 2HCl (aq) → 2NaCl (aq) + H2 (g)

• Reacts explosively

Ca (s) + HCl (aq) → ??

Ca (s) + 2HCl (aq) → CaCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)

• Reacts violently

Mg (s) + HCl (aq) → ??

Mg (s) + 2HCl (aq) → MgCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)

• Reacts rapidly

Al (s) + HCl (aq) → ??

4Al (s) + 3O2 (g) → 2Al2O3 (s)

• Al readily reacts with O2 in the air to form a solid layer around the Al metal

• No visible reaction initially

Al2O3 (s) + 6HCl (aq) → 2AlCl3 (aq) + 3H2 (g)

• After a while, Al reacts rapidly

Zn (s) + HCl (aq) → ??

Zn (s) + 2HCl (aq) → ZnCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)

• Reacts moderately

Fe (s) + HCl (aq) → ??

Fe (s) + 2HCl (aq) → FeCl2 (aq) + H2 (g)

• Reacts slowly

Pb (s) + HCl (aq) → ??

No reaction, most lead salts are insoluble and form an insoluble layer

*HNO3 (aq) + Pb (s) → PbNO3 (aq) + H2 (g)

Cu (s) + HCl (aq) → ??

No reaction

Ag (s) + HCl (aq) → ??

No reaction

K2O (s) + C (s) → ??

No reaction

Na2O (s) + C (s) → ??

No reaction

CaO (s) + C (s) → ??

No reaction

MgO (s) + C (s) → ??

No reaction

Al2O3 (s) + C (s) → ??

No reaction

ZnO (s) + C (s) → ??

2ZnO (s) + C (s) → 2Zn (s) + CO2 (g)

• C reduces ZnO

• Requires the highest temperature to occur

FeO (s) + C (s) → ??

2FeO (s) + C (s) → 2Fe (s) + CO2 (g)

• C reduces FeO

PbO (s) + C (s) → ??

2PbO (s) + C (s) → 2Pb (s) + CO2 (g)

• C reduces PbO

CuO (s) + C (s) → ??

2CuO (s) + C (s) → 2Cu (s) + CO2 (g)

• C reduces CuO

AgO (s) + C (s) → ??

2AgO (s) + C (s) → 2Ag (s) + CO2 (g)

• C reduces AgO

K2O (s) + H2 (g) → ??

No reaction

Na2O (s) + H2 (g) → ??

No reaction

CaO (s) + H2 (g) → ??

No reaction

MgO (s) + H2 (g) → ??

No reaction

Al2O3 (s) + H2 (g) → ??

No reaction

ZnO (s) + H2 (g) → ??

No reaction

FeO (s) + H2 (g) → ??

FeO (s) + H2 (g) → Fe (s) + H2O (l)

• H2 reduces FeO

• Requires the highest temperature to occur

PbO (s) + H2 (g) → ??

PbO (s) + H2 (g) → Pb (s) + H2O (l)

• H2 reduces PbO

• Requires the highest temperature to occur

CuO (s) + H2 (g) → ??

CuO (s) + H2 (g) → Cu (s) + H2O (l)

• H2 reduces CuO

AgO (s) + H2 (g) → ??

AgO (s) + H2 (g) → Ag (s) + H2O (l)

• H2 reduces AgO