Metals & Metal Metals & Metal CompoundsCompounds

D. Crowley, 2007D. Crowley, 2007

Metals & Metal CompoundsMetals & Metal Compounds

To be able to predict the reactions between metals and metal To be able to predict the reactions between metals and metal compoundscompounds

Wednesday, April 19, 2023Wednesday, April 19, 2023

Reactivity SeriesReactivity Series

What can you say about the reactivity of metals?What can you say about the reactivity of metals?

Some metals are more reactive than others (remember gold in Some metals are more reactive than others (remember gold in water is fine, sodium in water is not)!water is fine, sodium in water is not)!

We can order the reactivity of the metals, from most reactive to We can order the reactivity of the metals, from most reactive to leastleast

This is the reactivity series!This is the reactivity series!

Reactivity SeriesReactivity Series

PotassiumPotassiumSodiumSodiumCalciumCalciumMagnesiumMagnesiumAluminiumAluminiumZincZincIronIronLeadLead

(Hydrogen)(Hydrogen)CopperCopperSilverSilverGoldGoldPlatinumPlatinum

Very reactive

Fairly reactive

Not very reactive

Not at all reactive

Metals below hydrogen do not react with water or acid – they do not easily tarnish!

Look at the reactivity series – see if you can Look at the reactivity series – see if you can come up with a way to remember it…come up with a way to remember it…

DisplacementDisplacement

Some metals are more reactive than othersSome metals are more reactive than others

A displacement reaction is where one metal kicks another outA displacement reaction is where one metal kicks another out

A more reactive element reacts with a compound and A more reactive element reacts with a compound and pushes outpushes out a less reactive “rival” elementa less reactive “rival” element

DisplacementDisplacement

E.g. zinc is more reactive than copper – it will react with the E.g. zinc is more reactive than copper – it will react with the copper oxide when heatedcopper oxide when heated

The zinc will The zinc will displacedisplace the copper, leaving copper on its own and the copper, leaving copper on its own and forming zinc oxide…forming zinc oxide…

zinc + copper oxide zinc + copper oxide → zinc oxide + copper→ zinc oxide + copper

Zn + CuO → ZnO + CuZn + CuO → ZnO + Cu

DisplacementDisplacement

So the more reactive zinc has pushed the copper out, and formed So the more reactive zinc has pushed the copper out, and formed zinc oxidezinc oxide

It’s a bit like a little guy going out with a girl. Everything is fine, It’s a bit like a little guy going out with a girl. Everything is fine, until a bigger guy comes along and pushes the little guy awayuntil a bigger guy comes along and pushes the little guy away

The big guy gets the girl, the little guy goes home alone…The big guy gets the girl, the little guy goes home alone…

In our example, zinc is the big guy, copper the little guy, and the oxide is the girl!

Try the Chem Wars: -

http://sycd.co.uk/chemwars

ExperimentExperiment

To prove the reactivity series, you are going to react a metal and a To prove the reactivity series, you are going to react a metal and a metal compound togethermetal compound together

Firstly you will need a copy of the results sheet…Firstly you will need a copy of the results sheet…

Results SheetResults Sheet

Copper Copper sulphatesulphate

Iron sulphateIron sulphate Lead nitrateLead nitrate Magnesium Magnesium sulphatesulphate

Total Total reactionsreactions

CopperCopper

XXIronIron

XXLeadLead

XXMagnesiumMagnesium

XXTotalTotal

XX

Experiment 1Experiment 1

Get a test tube rack, and 3 test tubesGet a test tube rack, and 3 test tubes Fill each test tube up ½ way with Fill each test tube up ½ way with copper sulphatecopper sulphate Add a small piece of Add a small piece of ironiron to one to one Add a small piece of Add a small piece of leadlead to the second to the second Add a small piece of Add a small piece of magnesiummagnesium to the third to the third

Has there been a reaction? Look for colour changes on Has there been a reaction? Look for colour changes on the surface of the metal; colour changes in the solution; the surface of the metal; colour changes in the solution; bubbles of gas given off; a temperature changebubbles of gas given off; a temperature change

If there was a reaction but a tick in your table; if not put If there was a reaction but a tick in your table; if not put a crossa cross

Experiment 2Experiment 2

Get a test tube rack, and 3 test tubesGet a test tube rack, and 3 test tubes Fill each test tube up ½ way with Fill each test tube up ½ way with iron sulphateiron sulphate Add a small piece of Add a small piece of coppercopper to one to one Add a small piece of Add a small piece of leadlead to the second to the second Add a small piece of Add a small piece of magnesiummagnesium to the third to the third

Has there been a reaction? Look for colour changes on Has there been a reaction? Look for colour changes on the surface of the metal; colour changes in the solution; the surface of the metal; colour changes in the solution; bubbles of gas given off; a temperature changebubbles of gas given off; a temperature change

If there was a reaction but a tick in your table; if not put If there was a reaction but a tick in your table; if not put a crossa cross

Experiment 3Experiment 3

Get a test tube rack, and 3 test tubesGet a test tube rack, and 3 test tubes Fill each test tube up ½ way with Fill each test tube up ½ way with lead nitratelead nitrate Add a small piece of Add a small piece of coppercopper to one to one Add a small piece of Add a small piece of ironiron to the second to the second Add a small piece of Add a small piece of magnesiummagnesium to the third to the third

Has there been a reaction? Look for colour changes on Has there been a reaction? Look for colour changes on the surface of the metal; colour changes in the solution; the surface of the metal; colour changes in the solution; bubbles of gas given off; a temperature changebubbles of gas given off; a temperature change

If there was a reaction but a tick in your table; if not put If there was a reaction but a tick in your table; if not put a crossa cross

Experiment 4Experiment 4

Get a test tube rack, and 3 test tubesGet a test tube rack, and 3 test tubes Fill each test tube up ½ way with Fill each test tube up ½ way with magnesium sulphatemagnesium sulphate Add a small piece of Add a small piece of coppercopper to one to one Add a small piece of Add a small piece of ironiron to the second to the second Add a small piece of Add a small piece of leadlead to the third to the third

Has there been a reaction? Look for colour changes on Has there been a reaction? Look for colour changes on the surface of the metal; colour changes in the solution; the surface of the metal; colour changes in the solution; bubbles of gas given off; a temperature changebubbles of gas given off; a temperature change

If there was a reaction but a tick in your table; if not put If there was a reaction but a tick in your table; if not put a crossa cross

ReactionsReactions

So some metals are more reactive than So some metals are more reactive than others – of ours the reactivity series of others – of ours the reactivity series of the metals was: -the metals was: -

Magnesium Magnesium (3 displacements)(3 displacements)

Iron Iron (2 displacements)(2 displacements)

Lead Lead (1 displacement)(1 displacement)

Copper Copper (0 displacements)(0 displacements)

Magnesium displaces the copper:

magnesium + copper oxide → magnesium oxide + copper

Iron displaces the copper:

iron + copper oxide → iron oxide + copper

Equations - Equations - MagnesiumMagnesium

copper sulphate + magnesium → magnesium sulphate + copper

(REACTION)

iron sulphate + magnesium → magnesium sulphate + iron

(REACTION)

lead nitrate + magnesium → magnesium nitrate + lead

(REACTION)

The equations for the magnesium was: -

Equations - Equations - IronIron

copper sulphate + iron → iron sulphate + copper

(REACTION)

lead nitrate + iron → iron nitrate + lead

(REACTION)

magnesium sulphate + iron → magnesium sulphate + iron

(NO REACTION)

The equations for the lead were: -

Equations - Equations - LeadLead

copper sulphate + lead → lead sulphate + copper

(REACTION)

iron sulphate + lead → iron sulphate + lead

(NO REACTION)

magnesium sulphate + lead → magnesium sulphate + lead

(NO REACTION)

The equations for the lead were: -

Equations - Equations - CopperCopper

iron sulphate + copper → iron sulphate + copper

(NO REACTION)

lead nitrate + copper → lead nitrate + copper

(NO REACTION)

magnesium sulphate + copper → magnesium sulphate + copper

(NO REACTION)

The equations for the lead were: -

Equations - Equations - MagnesiumMagnesium

copper sulphate + magnesium → magnesium sulphate + copper

CuSO4 + Mg → MgSO4 + Cu (REACTION)

iron sulphate + magnesium → magnesium sulphate + iron

FeSO4 + Mg → MgSO4 + Fe (REACTION)

lead nitrate + magnesium → magnesium nitrate + lead

Pb(NO3)2 + Mg → Mg(NO3)2 + Pb (REACTION)

The equations for the magnesium was: -

Equations - Equations - IronIron

copper sulphate + iron → iron sulphate + copper

CuSO4 + Fe → FeSO4 + Cu (REACTION)

lead nitrate + iron → iron nitrate + lead

Pb(NO3)2 + Fe → Fe(NO3)2 + Pb (REACTION)

magnesium sulphate + iron → magnesium sulphate + iron

MgSO4 + Fe → MgSO4 + Fe (NO REACTION)

The equations for the lead were: -

Equations - Equations - LeadLead

copper sulphate + lead → lead sulphate + copper

CuSO4 + Pb → PbSO4 + Cu (REACTION)

iron sulphate + lead → iron sulphate + lead

FeSO4 + Pb → FeSO4 + Pb (NO REACTION)

magnesium sulphate + lead → magnesium sulphate + lead

MgSO4 + Pb → MgSO4 + Pb (NO REACTION)

The equations for the lead were: -

Equations - Equations - CopperCopper

iron sulphate + copper → iron sulphate + copper

FeSO4 + Cu → FeSO4 + Cu (NO REACTION)

lead nitrate + copper → lead nitrate + copper

Pb(NO3)2 + Cu → FeSO4 + Cu (NO REACTION)

magnesium sulphate + copper → magnesium sulphate + copper

MgSO4 + Cu → MgSO4 + Cu (NO REACTION)

The equations for the lead were: -