2.1 Metals and Reactivity Series 🫧

Reactivity Series

• Potassium

• Sodium

• Calcium

• Magnesium

• Aluminium

• Zinc

• Iron

• Copper

More reactive metals

react more vigorously and lose electrons easier (positive ion)

Metal + Oxygen →

Metal Oxide

Potassium and oxygen (Observations)

• lilac flame

• white solid formed

Sodium and oxygen (Observations)

• yellow/orange flame

• white solid formed

Calcium and oxygen (Observations)

• brick red flame

• white solid

Magnesium and oxygen (Observations)

• white light observed

• white solid formed

Aluminium and oxygen (Observations)

• as a powder

• bright white light

• white solid formed

Zinc and oxygen (Observations)

• glows orange

• yellow solid, turning white when cooled

Iron and oxygen (Observations)

• as filings

• orange sparks

• black solid

Copper and oxygen (Observations)

• glows orange

• green/blue flame

• black solid

Cutting potassium and sodium

soft metals expose shiny surface which tarnishes dull

Tarnishing of reactive metals

less reactive metals take longer to tarnish

Metal + water →

metal hydroxide + hydrogen

Potassium and water (Observations)

• Floats

• Moves very rapidly across the surface

• Bubbles of gas released

• Heat is released

• Ignites with a lilac flame

• Crackles at the end/explosion

• Colourless solution formed

Sodium and water (Observations)

• Floats

• Moves rapidly across the surface

• Bubbles of gas released

• Melts to form a sphere of molten metal

• Colourless solution forms

Calcium and water (Observations)

• Granules sink and rise continuously

• Bubbles of gas released

• Heat is released

• Grey powdered solid forms in the water

Magnesium and water (Observations)

• Very slow (days)

• Few bubbles of gas produced

Metals that don’t react with water

aluminium, zinc, iron and copper

Why does aluminium not react

surface forms protective layer of aluminium oxide

Metal + steam →

metal oxide + hydrogen

Magnesium and steam (Observations)

• bright white light

• white powder

Aluminium and steam (Observations)

• glows orange

• white powder

Zinc and steam (Observations)

• glows orange

• yellow solid, turning white when cooled

Iron and steam (Observations)

• glows red

• black solid

Why do some metals react with steam

increased temperature of reaction

Displacement

more reactive metal takes the place of a less reactive metal in a compound

Finding less reactive elements

usually found in earths cruse pure

Finding more reactive metals

usually combined with other elements in a compound

Metals extracted using electrolysis

potassium, sodium, calcium, magnesium and aluminium

Why is electrolysis only used for most reactive metals

expensive, cheaper to heat with carbon/carbon monoxide

Metals extracted using reduction with carbon/carbon monoxide

zinc, iron and copper

Metals extracted using various chemical reactions

silver and gold

Phytomining

plants used to absorb metal ions from ground using roots

Process of phytomining

1. Plants used to absorb metal compounds e.g copper(II) compounds

2. Harvested, burned to produce ash containing metal compounds

3. Sulfuric acid added to produce solution containing dissolved metal compounds called leachate

4. Copper obtained by displacement using scrap iron

Disadvantages of phytomining

• slow

• more expensive than mining

• growing conditions e.g weather, altitude and soil quality

Advantages of phytomining

• reduces need to obtain new ore by mining

• metal ores are limited, alternative

• energy produced, can be used

• plants remove co2

• no disposal of waste rock

Why is mining bad

negative environmental impact through noise and dust pollution