CHEMISTRY LAB



Metal Reactivities Lab

Introduction

In this activity you will observe and compare some chemical reactions of several metallic elements. These reactions involve a metal and a solution containing ions of a different metal. You will investigate reactions of three metals with solutions of ionic compounds that contain metal ions. You will then use the data to make what is known as the activity series – a ranking of the reactivities.

Data Table

|RELATIVE REACTIVITIES OF METALS |

| |Solutions |

|Metal | |

| |Cu(NO3)2 |Mg(NO3)2 |Zn(NO3)2 |AgNO3 |

|Cu |NR | | | |

|Mg | |NR | | |

|Zn | | |NR | |

|Ag |NR |NR |NR |NR |

Note: The results for silver have been filled in for you. Silver is too expensive to use for this lab. NR stands for “no visible reaction”.

Procedure

1. Obtain three strips of each metal to be tested.

2. If the metal looks dull or corroded, clean the surface on each metal strip by rubbing it with steel wool.

3. Using a well plate, place 10 drops of each of the four solutions in separate wells. Caution: Avoid touching skin or clothing with the AgNO3 solution; it causes dark, non-washable stains.

4. Add a copper strip to each solution to be tested. Observe the results for three to five minutes. If no reaction is observed, write NR in your data table. If you observe a reaction, record the observed changes.

5. Discard the solutions and metal pieces as directed by your teacher. Solids go in the trash – not the drain!

6. Wash the well plates.

7. Repeat steps 4-7 with each of the other two metals. Complete all entries in the data table.

8. Wash your hands thoroughly before leaving the laboratory.

Questions

1. Which metal reacted with the most solutions? ____________

2. Which metal reacted with the fewest solutions? ____________

3. List the four metals in order, placing the most reactive metal first (the one that reacted with the most solutions) and proceeding in order to the least reactive metal (the one that reacted with the fewest solutions). Such a ranking of elements in order of their chemical reactivity is called an activity series.

_____________ _____________ _____________ _____________

Most reactive Least Reactive

4. Refer to your activity series list in Question 3. Why was the Statue of Liberty made with copper instead of zinc?

Below you will find the complete list of activity series for metals and for halogens.

|Activity Series of the Elements |

|Activity of metals |Activity of halogen nonmetals |

|Li |React with cold (liquid) water and acids, replacing |F2 |

|Rb |hydrogen. |Cl2 |

|K |React with oxygen to form oxides. |Br2 |

|Ba | |I2 |

|Sr | | |

|Ca | | |

|Na | | |

|Mg |React with steam (but not liquid water) and acids, | |

|Al |replacing hydrogen. | |

|Mn |React with oxygen, forming oxides. | |

|Zn | | |

|Cr | | |

|Fe | | |

|Cd | | |

|Co |Do not react with water. | |

|Ni |React with acids, replacing hydrogen. | |

|Sn |React with oxygen forming oxides. | |

|Pb | | |

|H2 |React with oxygen, forming oxides | |

|Sb |Do not react with water | |

|Bi |Do not react with acids | |

|Cu | | |

|Hg | | |

|Ag |Fairly unreactive, forming oxides only indirectly. | |

|Pt | | |

|Au | | |

Practice:

Using the activity series, determine whether each of the possible reactions listed below will occur. For those reactions that will occur, predict what the products will be and balance the equations.

1. Zn (s) + H2O (l) (at 50(C) (

2. Sn (s) + O2 (g) (

3. Cd (s) + Pb(NO3)2 (aq) (

4. Cu (s) + HCl (aq) (

5. MgCl2 (aq) + Zn (s) (

6. Al (s) + H2O (g) (

7. Cd (s) + O2 (g) (

8. I2 (s) + KF (aq) (

9. Cl2 (g) + KI (aq) (

10. Ca (s) + O2 (g) (

11. Sn (s) + AgNO3 (aq) (

12. Pt (s) + BaSO4 (aq) (

-----------------------

Hints:

For single displacement reactions: examine the element that’s by itself and determine if it’s higher on the list than it’s counterpart (metal with metal or halogen with halogen). If the one by itself is higher than its counterpart you have a reaction.

For oxides: The metal and the oxygen combine to form an oxide compound.

Treat water like “hydrogen hydroxide” (HOH)

Charges:

Cd+2

Pt+2 or Pt+4

Increasing Reactivity

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