Elements activity series

The reactivity of a substance depends on its ability to gain or lose electrons. It is possible to arrange the elements into a series based upon their reactivity. Such a list is called an activity series. 

We may predict many redox reactions of metals by using an activity series. An activity series lists reactions showing how various metals and hydrogen oxidize in aqueous solution. Elements at the top of the series are more reactive (active) than elements below. A reaction occurs when an element interacts with a cation of an element lower in the series. The more active elements have a stronger tendency to oxidize than the less active elements. The less active elements tend to reduce instead of oxidize. The reduction reactions are the reverse of the oxidation reactions given in the activity series table, Table 4-1. This is an abbreviated table. Refer to your textbook for a more complete table. 

Hydrochloric acid is a strong acid (strong electrolyte). Therefore, the species present would be Mg(s), H+(aq), and Cl (aq). Locate the element (Mg) and the cation (H+) in the activity series. 

In order for there to be a reaction between the two, the element must be above the cation in the activity series. Since Mg is higher on the table, it will oxidize (react as shown in the table). (Note only Mg, not Mg2+, undergoes oxidation.) If a substance undergoes oxidation then something must also undergo reduction. In this problem, the only option for a reduction species is the H+. The reduction is the reverse of the equation in the table. 

The anions, negative ions, are not of concern to us at this time. We only need to locate the elements and cations on the activity series table. Here is our abbreviated activity series table with the substances from the first reaction in boldface ... 

Elements on this activity series can displace ions of metals lower than themselves on the list. If, for example, one placed a piece of tin metal into a solution containing Cu(N03)2(aq), the Sn would replace the Cu2+ cation ... 

Know how to use the activity series to predict whether or not an element will displace another element. 

Aqueous solutions of alkali hydroxides do not attack cadmium. Cadmium replaces elements that are less electropositive in the activity series from their salt solutions. The standard electrode potential ... 

A) Any element higher in the activity series will react with the ion of any element lower in the activity series. 

A term used to describe how easily a metal is oxidized is active. A more active metal is one that is more easily oxidized. A listing of metals in order of activity is known as an activity series. The activity series is used to determine which substances will be oxidized and reduced in an electrochemical cell the element higher on the list will be oxidized. For example, in a cell with aluminum and silver electrodes in their appropriate solutions, aluminum is oxidized and silver is reduced. Therefore, aluminum is the anode and silver is the cathode. If you have ever bitten a piece of aluminum foil and experienced discomfort, you had this electrochemical process occur in your mouth. Silver (or mercury) fillings and the aluminum serve as electrodes and your saliva serves as an electrolyte between the two. The resulting current stimulates the nerves in your mouth resulting in the discomfort. 

Activated Complex momentary intermediate arrangement of atoms when reactants are converted into products in a chemical reaction, also called transition state Activation Energy minimum energy needed to initiate a chemical reaction Active how easily a metal is oxidized Activity Series a ranking of elements in order of their ability to reduce or oxidize another element... 

ACTIVITY SERIES- Also referred to as the electromotive series or the displacement series, this is an arrangement of the metals (other elements can be included) in the order of their tendency to react with water and acids, so that each metal displaces from solution those below itiu the series and is displaced by those above it. See Table 1. Since the electrode potential of a metal in equilibrium with a solution of its ions cannot be measured directly, the values in the activity series are, in each case, the difference between the electrode potential of the given metal tor element) in equilibrium with a solution of its ions, and that of hydrogen in equilibrium with a solution of its ions. Thus in the table, it will be noted that hydrogen lias a value of 0.000. In experimental procedure, the hydrogen electrode is used as the standard with which the electrode potentials of other substances are compared. The theory of displacement plays a major role in electrochemistry and corrosion engineering. See also Corrosion and Electrochemistry. 

Some Ways that Chemical Reactions Occur 4.8 The Activity Series of the Elements... 

Whether a reaction occurs between a given ion and a given element depends on the relative ease with which the various species gain or lose electrons—that is, on how easily each species is reduced or oxidized. By noting the results from a succession of different reactions, it s possible to organize an activity series, which ranks the elements in order of their reducing ability in aqueous solution (Table 4.3). 

Not every element will take the place of another element in a compound, though. Whether the reaction will take place or not depends on the activity of the two elements. For metals, there is a list called the activity series of metals that lists the metals in... 

Standard Electrode Potentials for Elements on the Activity Series... 

The relative order of tendencies for elements and their simple ions to act as oxidizing or reducing agents also called the activity series. 

Results of experiments, such as the one in Figure 12, in which displacement reactions take place are summarized in the activity series, a portion of which is shown in Table 4. In the activity series, elements are arranged in order of activity with the most active one at the top. In general, an element can displace those listed below it from compounds in solution, but not those listed above it. Thus, you can use the activity series to make predictions about displacement reactions. You could also predict that no reaction would happen, such as when silver is put into a copper(II) nitrate solution. 

Determine whether the single element or the element that might be displaced from the compound is more active. The more active element is higher on the activity series. 

In which part of the periodic table are the elements at the top of the activity series ... 

In a displacement reaction, an element displaces an element from a compound. The activity series is used to determine if a reaction will happen. 

Create an activity series for the hypothetical elements A, J, Q, and Z by using the reaction information provided below. 

Predict the location of the element astatine in the activity series of halogens. Explain your answer. 

In Table 4-12, the most active metals are listed at the top of the first column. These metals tend to react to form their oxidized forms (cations). Elements at the bottom of the activity series (the first column of Table 4-12) tend to remain in their reduced form. They are easily converted from their oxidized forms to their reduced forms. 

One element displaces another from a compound Element + compound — element 4 compound Activity series (Table 4-12) summarizes metals and hydrogen halogen activities (Group VIIA) decrease going down the group... 

Metals and activity series crossword. 1. Displaces silver but not lead. 2. Honorary metal in many versions of the activity series. 3. Unreactive metal, a salt of which is used in the chloride test. 4. Most abundant transition metal in Earth s crust. 5. This metal forms a nitrate which is hard to decompose. 6. Metal used in sacrificial protection of iron from corrosion. 7. First member of Group lA element. 8. This metal does not react with water, but reacts with acid. (Taken from Metals and the reactivity series, InfoChem, issue no. 23, September 1993. Reprinted with permission of Education in Chemistry.)... 

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