Question

(a) What is meant by the reactivity series of metals? Arrange the following metals in an increasing order of their reactivities towards water:
Zinc, Iron, Magnesium, Sodium
(b) Hydrogen is not a metal but still it has been assigned a place in the reactivity series of metals. Why?
(c) Name one metal more reactive and another less reactive than hydrogen.
(d) Name one metal which displaces copper from copper sulphate solution and one which does not.
(e) Name one metal which displaces silver from silver nitrate solution and one which does not.

Answer 1

(a) The arrangement of metals in a vertical column in the order of their decreasing reactivity is called the reactivity series of metals.
The increasing order of these metals according to their reactivity with water is:
Iron < Zinc < Magnesium < Sodium

(b) Hydrogen is not a metal but it has been assigned a place in the reactivity series of metals because like metals, it also loses electrons and forms positive ions, H⁺.

(c) Lead is the metal that is more reactive than hydrogen and copper is the metal that is less reactive than hydrogen.

(d) Zinc is the metal that can displace copper from copper sulphate solution and silver is the metal that does not displace copper from copper sulphate solution.

(e) Copper is the metal that can displace silver from silver nitrate solution and gold is the metal that cannot displace silver from silver nitrate solution.