Question

How to remember reactivity series of metals?

Answer 1

Here are two good mnemonics for memorizing the metal activity series:

"Please stop calling me a zebra in the library. Call me something good, please."

"Pop stars can make absolute zillions if tiny little children spend good pennies."

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The metal activity series (also called the metal reactivity series) is a crucial aid for predicting the outcome of chemical reactions. One version of the series is this:

(Lithium)

Potassium == pop

Sodium == stars

Calcium == can

Magnesium == make

Aluminum == absolute

Zinc == zillions

Iron == if

Tin == tiny

Lead == little

(Hydrogen)

Copper == children

(Mercury)

Silver == spend

Gold == good

Platinum == pennies

The list shows metals in order of reactivity, with the most reactive at the top and least reactive at the bottom. For example, if you place a strip of magnesium into hydrochloric acid you get magnesium chloride and hydrogen gas (bubbling out). We would expect this because magnesium is higher than hydrogen on the reactivity chart.

Note that the first mnemonic above includes "mercury" in the list (the second "me") which is not usually done. Also note that there seems to be some disagreement as to the proper ordering of the reactivity series (calcium is sometimes ahead of sodium, for instance) and some elements have simply been left out of the mnemonics (like lithium and hydrogen

In most question paper reactivity series will be given.