1. What the Reactivity Series Is

• A list of metals arranged in order of how reactive they are.

• Most reactive at the top, least reactive at the bottom.

• Helps predict reactions with water, acids, and oxygen.

2. The Reactivity Series (Most → Least Reactive)

• Potassium, Sodium, Calcium, Magnesium, Aluminium , Carbon, Zinc, Iron, Hydrogen, Copper, Silver, Gold.

3. Reaction with Water

• Potassium, Sodium, Calcium → react strongly with cold water.

• Magnesium → reacts with hot water or steam.

• Aluminium, Zinc, Iron → little to no reaction with cold water.

• Copper, Silver, Gold → no reaction.

4. Reaction with Acids

• Metals above hydrogen react with acids and release hydrogen gas.

• Metals below hydrogen (copper, silver, gold) do not react with acids.

5. Reaction with Oxygen

• Highly reactive metals form oxides quickly.

• Middle metals form oxides more slowly.

• Low-reactivity metals hardly oxidize at all.

6. Displacement Rule

• A more reactive metal can displace a less reactive metal from a compound.

• Example: zinc displaces copper, but copper cannot displace zinc.

7. Why Carbon & Hydrogen Are Included

• Carbon helps determine if a metal oxide can be reduced using carbon.

• Hydrogen is used as a reference for metal reactions with acids.