Question

A student made the following observations after the experiment.
(a) Sodium metal reacted vigorously with water while a strip of magnesium did not seem to react at all.
(b) The magnesium strip reacted with dilute hydrochloride acid faster than an iron strip.
(c)A copper rivet suspended in silver nitrate solution was covered with silver-colored stalactites in several days, and the resulting solution had a blue color.
(d) Iron fillings dropped into the blue solution were coated with an orange color.
The order of decreasing strength as reducing agents is:

• A. $Na,Mg,Fe,Ag,Cu$
• B. $Mg,Na,Fe,Cu,Ag$
• C. $Ag,Cu,Fe,Mg,Na$
• D. $Na,Fe,Mg,Cu,Ag$
• E. $Na,Mg,Fe,Cu,Ag$

Answer 1

The correct option is E $Na,Mg,Fe,Cu,Ag$

Sodium metal is oxidised in water but magnesium did not. Magnesium oxidised in Dilute $HCl$ faster than iron. Iron oxidised faster than copper in silver nitrate solution. Therefore, strength of oxidation:

$Na>Mg>Fe>Cu>Ag$