How To Use Activity Series

Activity Series Definition

An activity series (as well chosen reactivity serial) is a chart of metals that is arranged past their reaction occurrences starting with the nigh powerful reactants and ending with the lowest reactants. This nautical chart is essential when it comes to determining the likelihood of a redox reaction occurring between elements also every bit the oxidation potential of a metal.

The activity series can include all the metals in the periodic table, though most often information technology is narrowed down to the elements that are most likely to be used in reactions. There are 2 sides of the activity series – the active metals and the inert metals. Both of these metallic groups are separated by hydrogen (H), an element that is used for comparison.

The agile metals of an action serial are elements that are more than probable to exist able to displace the metals that they outrank in the series. The further left a metallic is the activeness serial, the more powerful it is in an oxidation reaction. Metals located to the far left of an activity series are able to displace any metal to the right of its position in a chemical reaction.

The inert (or inactive) metals in the activity series are the metals that are located to the right of hydrogen. The farther right a metal is in an activity serial, the more stable it is in a reaction. This makes these metals more than valuable because they are more stable than the other metals in the series. They are not able to readapt metals to the left of their position, but they are more probable to have electrons from other elements in a reaction.

The following is a minor portion of the action series. The metals are arranged in a way that allows the user of the chart to easily determine if a redox reaction is able to occur.

Activity series example

By looking at the chart, it is easy to decide that lithium (Li) is ane of the almost reactive metals in the series. Because information technology is located at the far right of the chart, it is able to displace all the other metals it may interact with. If Li was put in a reaction with water (H₂O), Li would displace H to form LiOH (lithium hydroxide). Similarly, whatsoever other element that is located to the left of H (or above H) in an activity series would also be able to displace H.

Instance:

When magnesium reacts with h2o, it is able to displace hydrogen, resulting in a double replacement reaction.

2Mg + 2 H_iiO = 2MgOH + H₂

In this reaction, magnesium uses its college rank in the activity series to displace hydrogen and form a new bond. The resulting reaction betwixt magnesium and water yields magnesium hydroxide and hydrogen gas.

Nevertheless, if an element from the right of an activation series were to react with water, nothing would happen. Both elements would remain the aforementioned considering they are too stable to react.

Example:

Au + H₂O => No Reaction

In the to a higher place example, gilt would not react with water because it is too stable to surrender its electrons and readapt hydrogen. This is why gold jewelry can be placed in h2o without rusting or corroding.

How Was the Activity Series Adult?

The concept of the action series can't exist credited to any definitive source. Rather, it is an empirical system (based on proven observations and experiences) that grew over time to go the resource it is today.

The action series was developed by studying all the metals in the periodic table and ordering them in a way that showed how each metal was able to react with other elements (specially other metals, hydrogen, h2o, and acids). It was noticed that the more stable an isotope was, the less likely information technology was to react with other materials.

Eventually, it would be discovered that all precious metals were metals that had extremely stable isotopes. These metals were made of secure bonds that were very difficult to disrupt. Because their bonds are and then secure, they practise not undergo the aforementioned oxidation reactions that other metals do. This ways that precious metals are not prone to rust and weathering in the aforementioned style common metals like iron and pb are.

Full Activity Series

The following is a more than complete version of the activity series. Information technology shows the fashion metals react with 1 another and the environment each element needs as a minimum to form a reaction. The most reactive metals are located at the top of the nautical chart. The further away an element is from the tiptop of the chart, the less likely they are to displace other metals and elements (similar hydrogen).

Metal	Symbol	Reaction	Reactivity
Potassium	K	K => K(+) + (e-)	Water (cold)
Sodium	Na	Na => Na(+) + (eastward-)	Water (cold)
Lithium	Li	Li => Li(+) + (east-)	H2o (common cold)
Barium	Ba	Ba => Ba(2+) + (2e-)	Water (cold)
Strontium	Sr	Sr => Sr(2+) + (2e-)	Water (cold)
Calcium	Ca	Ca => Ca(ii+) + (2e-)	H2o (common cold)
Magnesium	Mg	Mg => Mg(two+) + (2e-)	Water (steam / hot)
Aluminum	Al	Al => Al(3+) + (3e-)	Water (steam / hot)
Manganese	Mn	Mn => Mn(two+) + (2e-)	Water (steam / hot)
Zinc	Zn	Zn => Zn(2+) + (2e-)	Water (steam / hot)
Chromium	Cr	Cr => Cr(3+) + (3e-)	Water (steam / hot)
Iron	Atomic number 26	Fe => Fe(2+) + (2e-)	Water (steam / hot)
Cadmium	Cd	Cd => Cd(ii+) + (2e-)	Water (steam / hot)
Cobalt	Co	Co => Co(2+) + (2e-)	Acid
Nickle	Ni	Ni => Ni(2+) + (2e-)	Acid
Tin	Sn	Sn => Sn(2+) + (2e-)	Acid
Lead	Pb	Lead => Pb(two+) + (2e-)	Acrid
Hydrogen	H	H => 2H(+) + (2e-)	Comparison
Antimony	Sb		Nonreactive
Bismuth	Bi		Nonreactive
Copper	Cu	Cu => Cu(two+) + (2e-)	Nonreactive
Mercury	Hg	Hg => Hg(2+) + (2e-)	Nonreactive
Silver	Ag	Ag => Ag(+) + (east-)	Nonreactive
Platinum	Pt	Pt => Pt(ii+) + (2e-)	Nonreactive
Gold	Au	Au => Au(3+) + (3e-)	Nonreactive

Common Applications of the Activity Serial

There are many applications for the activity serial outside of science. The series can be used to determine the best materials to use for different applications. For instance, the metal materials that tin can be used for tools and machinery are non necessarily the same metallic materials you want to use for eating utensils.

This is partially because of the unlike reactions that can occur with higher reacting metals that lower reacting metals are less likely to incur. To run across the impact, we'll examine the reactivity of atomic number 26 (Fe). Iron is not as reactive equally sodium (Na) or lithium (Li), but it still has the potential to undergo oxidation.

Dissimilar Na and Li, Atomic number 26 will not undergo an oxidation reaction if information technology is exposed to cold water. All the same, if Fe is exposed to hot h2o or steam, it volition undergo a reaction. An example of this is rust. Rust is created when iron, water, and oxygen react together.

To forestall this from rust from forming, a surface coat is usually applied to go on iron rubber from weathering that would eventually lead to rusting. This surface glaze is satisfactory for tools considering they exercise not accept the potential to contaminate other materials.

Unfortunately, with eating utensils this isn't enough. We constantly betrayal our cooking and eating utensils to heat, water and friction – processes that would be harsh to coatings and wear them downwardly over time. Additionally, some food training processes may cause the surface coating to undergo an undesirable reaction.

This reasoning and use of the action series allows us to avert using iron in an environment that would quickly corrode its state and jeopardize our wellness. This is just one of the many applications the action series has in everyday life.

Agile Metals

At that place are ii main components to make upwardly an activity series – reactive metals and inert metals. Reactive metals accept fewer electrons in their outer shell, making it easier for them to undergo oxidation reactions. They can be used for many purposes. Popular uses include energy sources and conductors of free energy.

The following are examples of metals that have mutual applications in modernistic day.

Lithium (Li)

Lithium is not the about mutual element because of its relative instability. Although it is able to class a stable ion, information technology has one of the lowest bounden energies of all the elements that tin be found in nature. This is considering of the extremely depression activation energy that is required to allow Li to react and grade other compounds.

Lithium's high reactivity potential may exist the cause for its low occurrence in nature, but this is besides a feature that makes this element valuable in modern twenty-four hour period. Lithium's common uses include the production of batteries and being used as an additive to make glass heat resistant.

It is also worth noting that lithium was used to make the fully man-made nuclear reaction in 1932. It's particles were transmuted into helium, leading to technology that would somewhen produce thermonuclear warfare. Lithium is still used to fuel fusion process in thermonuclear weapons today.

Sodium (Na)

Sodium is another element from the activeness series that is extremely reactive. It is one of the nearly abundant elements in the Earth's crust and is essential for all animal life and some plant life. Although sodium is so essential to life, it has never been found as a free metal in nature. This is probable do to its high reactivity.

Sodium is near often found in nature in the course of feldspar, sodalite, and rock salt. It tin can also be found in the homo body in many compounds and reactions. It is especially essential to extracellular fluid (ECF – any fluid constitute outside of cells in the body), the sodium-potassium pump, and advice betwixt nerve cells. It's high reactivity makes it perfect for helping to fuel energy systems.

Sodium is also a commonly used compound equally far equally industrial products become. Some of information technology'south most popular uses are sodium chloride (salt) equally an edible product and a de-icing product, and sodium hydroxide (lye) as a primal component of soap.

Iron (Fe)

Iron is ane of the virtually abundantly found elements on Earth, which is why it is so unremarkably used to brand tools and structures. Iron is commonly sought after because it tin be used to create steel. In a pure form, fe is fairly soft. All the same, when carbon is added to iron (usually through a process called smelting) it creates steel – a metallic that is upward to 1,000 harder than pure fe. The steel is and then used to create sturdy structures similar buildings, rails lines, tools, and more than.

Iron is commonly harvested in the form of crude iron (sometimes called squealer iron) and so further refined to create steel. It is of import to note, however, that this is not the only use for fe. It's power to exist used in oxidation reactions as well makes information technology vital for both found and animal life.

Iron is able to react with both molecular hydrogen and oxygen. This ability makes information technology incredibly useful for many of the reactions that occur naturally inside the man body. This is why iron is found in many reactions between proteins and enzymes. It helps with the transportation of oxygen between cells, the creation of Deoxyribonucleic acid, and the process of jail cell growth.

Inert Metals

Inert Metals are not active similar the metals that are positioned higher on the reactivity series, but this gives them their own benefits in mod day utilize. Inert Metals are non reactive because their bonds are too stable and exercise not easily surrender electrons. While this means that they are not used to fuel reactions in the same style that reactive metals are, it does mean that they are extremely valuable because they are less likely to be afflicted by natural reactions and are non vulnerable to other elements.

While in that location are many inert metals that take impressive uses, the near valuable in terms of industrial use and currency are silvery and gold.

Silver (Ag)

Silver is another metal that can be plant naturally occurring in nature. Although it can be establish in a pure form in nature, it is more usually obtained as a by-production in the refinement of copper, gold, zinc, and atomic number 82.

Although information technology is most unremarkably associated with jewelry and currency, silver has many applied applications as well. Silverish has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity out of all known metals. Information technology also possesses the highest reflectivity. Because of this, argent is often used in solar panels, water filtration, and electrical systems. It is also used for film (Ten-ray and photography).

Silvery is also useful in the medical field. It tin can be used as a disinfectant and every bit an agent to foreclose bacteria from reproducing. This property makes silverish (or argent compounds) especially desirable in the manufacturing of medical products. It is oftentimes added to bandages and medical instruments to help ensure health and well-being of patients.

Golden (Au)

Gold is the virtually precious metal in today'due south society – largely considering of its stable nature. It is i of the highest occurring elements by diminutive number that can be found freely in nature. Information technology is also one of the least reactive chemical elements. Dissimilar other metals, gilded is able to resist chemic reactions with about acids. The exception to this rule is aqua regia (a mix of nitric acrid and hydrochloric acid).

Considering gold is rare, information technology is often used for currency, jewelry, fine art, and fine objects. Gilded does have industrial applications, just this only makes up x percent of the world'southward consumption of the material (the residue relating to art and currency).

Because of its impressive stability, gilded is an extremely conductive material. Information technology has impressive resistance to corrosion. This property has fabricated it especially desirable as an electrical connectors (used to make electric circuits) in our computers and other technological devices.

Like silver, gold is as well incredibly beneficial in medicine. It's high resistance to acids makes it an platonic choice in terms of tooth restoration. This is why the practice of putting gilt caps on teeth became common. Additionally, golden in a diluted class can also be used equally an anti-inflammatory amanuensis. It has been used in chrysotherapy and aurotherapy to help reduce pain and swelling.

Quiz

References

(northward.d.). Activity Series. Retrieved November 22, 2018, from https://www.grandinetti.org/action-series

Libretexts. (2016, August 09). P3: Action Serial of Metals. Retrieved November 22, 2018, from https://chem.libretexts.org/Ancillary_Materials/Reference/Reference_Tables/Electrochemistry_Tables/P3:_Activity_Series_of_Metals

Reactivity serial. (2018, November 03). Retrieved November 22, 2018, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactivity_series