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Reactivity of Metals: IGCSE Chemisty

Metals react with water and acids in different ways. When metals react with water, they produce metal hydroxides and hydrogen gas. More reactive metals like potassium and sodium react vigorously with water, while less reactive metals like zinc and iron do not noticeably react. When metals react with acids, they produce metal salts and hydrogen gas. The type of acid determines the type of salt produced. Based on experimental results, potassium is the most reactive metal while copper and iron are the least reactive when placed in water and hydrochloric acid.

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95 views13 pages

Reactivity of Metals: IGCSE Chemisty

Metals react with water and acids in different ways. When metals react with water, they produce metal hydroxides and hydrogen gas. More reactive metals like potassium and sodium react vigorously with water, while less reactive metals like zinc and iron do not noticeably react. When metals react with acids, they produce metal salts and hydrogen gas. The type of acid determines the type of salt produced. Based on experimental results, potassium is the most reactive metal while copper and iron are the least reactive when placed in water and hydrochloric acid.

Uploaded by

AUDREY
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Reactivity of Metals

IGCSE Chemisty
STARTER
• Complete the table below:
• Test the three solutions in the test tube rack
using the Universal Indicator solution
• What pattern do you see?
Compound Metal or pH Acid or alkali?
non/metal

MgO

CaO

H2O2
Reacting metals with water
Potassium and sodium are metals that react
vigorously with water even when a small
amount of each metal is used.
When a metal reacts with water, the products
are a metal hydroxide and hydrogen gas.

GROUP QUESTION?
Which is more reactive – K or Na?
How do you know this (link it back to atomic
structure)?

The general equation for the reaction of a metal


with water is:

metal + water  metal hydroxide + hydrogen

What is the test to show that a metal hydroxide has been produced?
Products of metals reacting with water
Can you complete the word equation for each reaction?

potassium
potassium + water  hydroxide + hydrogen

lithium
lithium + water  hydroxide + hydrogen

sodium
sodium + water  hydroxide + hydrogen
GROUP CHALLENGE – BALANCE THE EQUATION!

2 K + 2 H 20 2 KOH + H2
1
2 KK 221

42 H 43

21 O 21
Investigating reactivity with water (I)
James investigated how reactive some metals are when they react with water and
made these observations:

Metal Reaction with water

Bubbles of gas are given off quite quickly.


lithium When tested with universal indicator the
water is now alkaline.
The sodium melts and skims over the
sodium surface producing a stream of small
bubbles. Sometimes a yellow-orange
flame appears.
Potassium immediately produces a lilac
potassium flame as it skims around the surface
making a fizzing noise.
Which of these metals is the most reactive with water?
Which of these metals is the least reactive with water?
Now you try
• Place each of the following metals in a small
dish of water

• Fill in your table to show what happens


Metal Reaction with water
Magnesium
Copper
Zinc
Iron
Products of metals reacting with acid
Metals react with acid producing bubbles of gas.

The “squeaky pop” test shows that this gas is


hydrogen.

When a metal reacts with acid, the products are a metal


salt and hydrogen.

What is the general equation for the reaction of a metal


with acid?

How does the type of acid affect the type of salt produced?

metal + acid  metal salt + hydrogen


Metals and hydrochloric acid – equations
Can you complete the word equation for each reaction?

hydrochloric magnesium
magnesium + acid  chloride + hydrogen

hydrochloric aluminium
aluminium + acid  chloride + hydrogen

hydrochloric zinc
zinc + acid  chloride + hydrogen
Metals and sulfuric acid – equations
Can you complete the word equation for each reaction?

sulfuric magnesium
magnesium + acid  sulfate + hydrogen

sulfuric aluminium
aluminium + acid  sulfate + hydrogen

sulfuric zinc
zinc + acid  sulfate + hydrogen
Metals and nitric acid –
Can you complete the word equation for each reaction?
equations

magnesium
magnesium + nitric acid  nitrate + hydrogen

aluminium
aluminium + nitric acid  nitrate + hydrogen

zinc
zinc + nitric acid  nitrate + hydrogen
Now you try
• Place each of the following metals in a small
dish of concentrated hydrochloric acid

• Fill in your table to show what happens


Metal Reaction with HCl
Magnesium
Copper
Zinc
Iron
Based on the results from all your experiments can
you list the following metals from most reactive to
least reactive?

copper
Most Potassium
potassium reactive
Sodium
zinc Magnesium
Zinc
magnesium Iron
Copper
sodium Least
reactive
iron

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