1. Redox 4
The Activity Series

2. The Activity Series
In the copper sulphate / iron experiment, iron reacts with aqueous copper (II) ion:
Magnesium metal reacts with aq acid to give the Mg2+ ion, and H2 gas:
You might guess that the reaction is determined by how easily each species is reduced or oxidised

3. The Activity series
React an easily oxidised element with an easily reduced one,
e.g. Fe with Cu2+, and the fe gets oxidised, the copper gets reduced
The reaction does not occur the other way around: .

4. The Activity series
At the top pf the chart, elements are easily oxidised
At the bottom, easily reduced
An element at the bottom will oxidise one higher up the list
An element at the bottom will reduce one lower down the list

5. The Activity series
Simple redox process – reaction of an aq cation with a free element to produce a different ion and a different element
Depends on the ease of oxidation for the element and ease of reduction of the cation
The activity series ranks the elements in order of their reducing ability in aq. Solution
An element higher in the series reacts with an ion lower in the series
Position of hydrogen indicates which metals react with H+ to give H2 (g)
Most reactive metals - top of the activity series
Least reactive metals – bottom of the activity series

6. Exercise 1
Using the activity series (page 132), write balanced chemical equations for the following reactions:

7. Exercise 2
Using the activity series, write balanced chemical equations for the following reactions:
Reminder
Predict the outcome of these rxns, remember that elements high in the series will react with any elements lower in the activity series.
Also remember; metals above H+ ion will displace the hydrogen from an acid to form H2 gas.

8. Next topic:
Balancing redox equations