Activity Series Lab

Date: 1/19/16

Introduction:
Chemical elements are usually classified by their properties into three groups: metals,
nonmetals, and metalloids. Most known elements are metals. Some of the physical properties of
metals include high thermal and electrical conductivity, high luster, malleability, and ductility.
All common metals are solids at room temperature, except for mercury, which is a liquid. By
placing various metals into solutions of metal ions and into hydrochloric acid we will be able to
find the activity series based on how reactive each metal is. This experiment will bring
familiarity with relative activities of metals in chemical equations. Experience with laboratory
skills will also be further developed.

Materials:
test tubes
test-tube rack
safety goggles
0.2 M Zn(NO3)2
0.2 M FeSO4
0.2 M CuSO4
0.2 M Mg(NO3)2
0.2 M Fe(NO3)3
0.2 M SnCl4
6 M HCl
0.2 M Ca(NO3)2
7 small pieces each of calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron wool, tin, copper
Pipets

Procedures:
A. Reactions of Metals with Acid
Put on safety goggles. Get six test tubes and a test tube rack. Dilute 6 M HCl (assigned to a
group to create a class set). Obtain 7 small pieces of each metal: calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron
wool, tin, copper. Using the pipet add a full squirt of HCl to each of the six test tubes. Observe
and record the reactions of the metals with HCl. Write both complete molecular and ionic
equations for all reactions.

B. Reactions of Metals with Solutions of Metal Ions

Put on safety goggles. Get seven test tubes and a test tube rack. Create 0.2 M of the following
solutions: Ca(NO3)2, CuSO4, FeSO4, Fe(NO3)3, Mg(NO3)2, SnCl4, and Zn(NO3)2. Note: Assign
group to make a class set of a solution to decrease the time of the experiment. Using the pipet
add a full squirt of a solution to a test tube (each test tube containing their own solution). Add a
small piece of calcium metal to each of the seven tubes. Observe and record the reactions. Repeat
steps for each of the metal: magnesium, zinc, iron wool, tin, and copper. Write both complete
molecular and ionic equations for all reactions.

Data:
A. Reactions of Metals with Acid
Metal Reaction with HCl Observation Equations

Ca Yes rapid reaction Ca + 2HCl CaCl2 +

foaming H2
gas & heat
produced Ca + 2H+ H2 + Ca2
no color

Cu No

Mg Yes rapid reaction Mg + 2HCl MgCl2

 foaming + H2
gas & heat Mg + 2H+ H2 + Mg
produced
no color

Fe Yes bubbles Fe + 2HCl FeCl2 +

produced H2
slow reaction Fe + 2H+ H2 + Fe2
changed to a
yellow color

Sn Yes bubbles Sn + 4HCl SnCl4 +

produced 2H2
slow reaction Sn + 4H+ 2H2 + Mg

Zn Yes sizzling Zn + 2HCl ZnCl2

produced heat + H2
Zn + 2H+ H2 + Zn

B. Reactions of Metals with Solutions of Metal Ions

Metal/ Ca2+ Cu2+ Fe3+ Fe2+ Mg2+ Sn4+ Zn2+

Metal
ions

Ca -heat -Turns -solid -bubbling -bubbling -solid -gas

-gas liquid dissolve -heat -gas dissolves -heat
-bubbles green- -sizzling -gas -white -white -bubbles
-precipitate brown- -orange -brown -heat -gas
solid color -heat
dissolves -bubbles

Cu No reaction No No No No No
reaction reaction reaction reaction reaction

Fe No reaction -solid No - brown No

turns reaction spots reaction
black form

Mg No reaction -solid -solid -bubbling -bubbling -bubbling

dissolves dissolves

Sn No reaction -solid No No No No
turns reaction reaction reaction reaction
black
Zn No reaction -solid -bubbling -bubbling No -bubbling
turns reaction
black

Results
A. Reactions of Metals with Acid
Metal Equation Net Ionic Equation

Ca Ca + 2HCl CaCl2 + H2 Ca + 2H+ H2 + Ca2+

Mg Mg + 2HCl MgCl2 + H2 Mg + 2H+ H2 + Mg2+

Fe Fe + 2HCl FeCl2 + H2 Fe + 2H+ H2 + Fe2+

Sn Sn + 4HCl SnCl4 + 2H2 Sn + 4H+ 2H2 + Mg4+

Zn Zn + 2HCl ZnCl2 + H2 Zn + 2H+ H2 + Zn2+

B. Reactions of Metals with Solutions of Metal Ions

Complete Equation Net Ionic Equation
Ca + Cu(NO3)2 Ca(NO3)2 + Cu Ca + Cu2+ Cu + Ca2+

3Ca + 2Fe(NO3)3 2Fe + 3Ca(NO3)2 3Ca + 2Fe3+ 2Fe + 3Ca2+

Ca + FeSO4 Fe + CaSO4 Ca + Fe2+ Fe + Ca2+

Ca + Mg(NO3)2 Mg + Ca(NO3)2 Ca + Mg2+ Mg + Ca2+

2Ca + SnCl4 Sn + 2CaCl2 2Ca + Sn4+ Sn + 2Ca2+

Ca + Zn(NO3)2 Zn + Ca(NO3)2 Ca + Zn2+ Zn + Ca2+

 Fe + Cu(NO3)2 Cu + Fe(NO3)2 Fe + Cu2+ Cu + Fe2+

Fe + Mg(NO3)2 Mg + Fe(NO3)2 Fe + Mg2+ Mg + Fe2+

2Fe + SnCl4 Sn + 2FeCl2 2Fe + Sn4+ Sn + 2Fe2+

Mg + Cu(NO3)2 Cu + Mg(NO3)2 Mg + Cu2+ Cu + Mg2+

3Mg + 2Fe(NO3)3 2Fe + 3Mg + 2Fe3+ 2Fe + 3Mg2+

3Mg(NO3)2

Mg + FeSO4 Fe + MgSO4 Mg + Fe2+ Fe + Mg2+

2Mg + SnCl4 Sn + 2MgCl2 2Mg + Sn4+ Sn + 2Mg2+

Mg + Zn(NO3)2 Zn + Mg(NO3)2 Mg + Zn2+ Zn + Mg2+

Sn + 2Cu(NO3)2 2Cu + Sn(NO3)4 Sn + 2Cu2+ 2Cu + Sn4+

Zn + Cu(NO3)2 Cu + Zn(NO3)2 Zn + Cu2+ Cu + Zn2+

3Zn + 2Fe(NO3)3 2Fe + 3Zn(NO3)2 3Zn + 2Fe3+ 2Fe + 3Zn2+

Zn + FeSO4 Fe + ZnSo4 Zn + Fe2+ Fe + Zn2+

2Zn + SnCl4 Sn + 2ZnCl2

2Zn + Sn4+ Sn + 2Zn2+

C. Relative- Activity Series

Most Reactive to Least reactive:
1. Ca
2. Mg
3. Zn
 4. Fe
5. Sn
6. Cu

Questions
1. Which metal should be the most reactive toward oxygen?

Calcium should be the most reactive toward oxygen because it is the most reactive of the
metals tested.

2. Which of the oxides would be expected to be thermally unstable and decompose

according to the following equation? 2MO 2M + O2

Copper(II) oxide, CuO, would be expected to be thermally unstable and decompose

according to the equation, 2MO 2M + O2, because Cu is the least reactive of the
elements surveyed in this experiment, so heating it would decompose the bonds between
copper and oxygen.

3. Sodium is slightly less reactive than calcium. Predict the outcome of the following
reactions:

2Na + H2O 2NaOH + H2

4Na + O2 2Na2O
2Na + 2HCl 2NaCl + H2
Na + Ca2+ NR

4. Which is more reactive, Fe2+ or Fe3+, and why?

Fe2+ is more reactive than Fe3+ because Fe2+ will react with any ion under it in the activity
series that has a charge of 2. Fe3+ will only react with ions under it in the activity series
with a charge of 3 Since many transition metals and all Group 2 elements have ions with
charges of 2, while few elements have ions with charges of 3, Fe2+ has many more
options for reactions than Fe3+.

5. From the data in Table B, rank the activity of aluminum

Based on the number of reactions that occurred, aluminum would fall between
magnesium and zinc on the activity series.

6. For each of the following reactions, indicate which substance is oxidized and which is
reduced. Which substance is the oxidizing agent and which is the reducing agent?
1. 2Al(s) + 3Cl2(g) 2AlCl3(s)
a. Substance Oxidized
i. Al
b. Substance Reduced
i. Cl2
c. Oxidizing Agent
i. Cl2
d. Reducing agent
i. Al

2. 8H+(aq) + MnO4(aq) + 5Fe2+(aq) 5Fe3+(aq) + Mn2+(aq) + 4H2O(l)

a. Substance Oxidized
i. H
b. Substance Reduced
i. MnO4
c. Oxidizing Agent
i. Mn
d. Reducing agent
i. Fe

3. FeS(s) + 3NO3(aq) + 4H+(aq) 3NO(g) + SO42(aq) + Fe3+(aq) + 2H2O(l)

a. Substance Oxidized
i. H
b. Substance Reduced
i. NO3
c. Oxidizing Agent
i. S
d. Reducing agent
i. Fe

Conclusion:
The Activity Series Experiment was successful. Knowledge about relative activities of
metals in chemical equations was increased. The activity series was also derived correctly.
However, there were several possible sources of error in this experiment. For instance, if any
of the solutions were contaminated, then the reaction would have been altered. Which could
possibly lead to the result to not have a reaction. Another possible error could be that there
wasnt enough metals in the solutions to cause a reaction. Because there were a lot of no
reactions in our data table, these errors might have been the cause.
Pre-lab questions:

1. What distinguishes a metal from a nonmetal?

Non-metals are less efficient at conducting heat than metals.
2. What does ionization potential measure?
Ionization potential measures the energy required to remove one valence electron from a neutral
atom.
3. What does electron affinity measure?
Electron affinity measures energy change when an electron is added to a neutral atom to form a
negative ion.
4. Why must oxidation be accompanied by a reduction?
Oxidation must be accompanied by a reduction because matter cannot be created or destroyed.
5. How does one determine the relative reactivities of metals?
To determine the relative reactivities of metals, one can compare the reaction of each metal with
a given reagent.

6. Complete and balance the following:

2Mg + O2 -----> 2MgO
Zn + 2HCl -----> H2 + ZnCl2
Zn + Cu+2 --------> Zn + Cu

7. Balance the following reactions and identify the species that have been oxidized and the
species that have been reduced.
Cl2 + 2I- ----------> I2 + 2Cl- Species reduced: Cl Species oxidized: I
WO2 + 2H2 -------> W + 2H2O Species reduced: W Species oxidized: H2
Ca + 2H2O -------> H2 + Ca(OH)2 Species reduced: Ca Species oxidized: H
4Al + 3O2 --------> 2Al2O3 Species reduced: O Species oxidized: Al

8. If the following redox reactions are found to occur spontaneously, identify the more
active metal in each reaction.
2Li + Cu2+ --------> 2Li+ + Cu More active metal: Cu
3+ 2+ 3+
Cr + 3V ------> 3V + Cr More active metal: Cr
3+ 2+ 2+
Cd + 2Ti ----> 2Ti + Cd More active metal: Cd