The ability of an element to take part in a chemical reaction is called reactivity. Metals vary in their reactivity. Some alkali metals, such as sodium and potassium, are so reactive that they have to be stored in oil. They would react strongly with the oxygen in air or water. The least reactive metal is gold.
The metal reactivity series is a commonly taught concept in chemistry, placing the metals, as its name suggests, in order of reactivity from most reactive to least reactive. It’s also a useful tool in predicting the products of simple displacement reactions involving two different metals, as well as providing an insight into why different metals are extracted from their ores in different manners. This graphic places a selection of common metals into order of reactivity, as well as showing their reactions with air, water and steam.
Metals have a range of relativities – to illustrate this, you have to look no further than the classic alkali metals in water demonstration commonly used in chemistry classes. In this demonstration, small pieces of three different metals from group 1 of the periodic table are dropped into a large bowl of water. Lithium fizzes gently, sodium fizzes vigorously, and potassium’s reaction is so energetic it bursts into a lilac flame as it zips across the water’s surface. Cesium, the most reactive metal in the periodic table, reacts extremely violently – hence why it can’t be demonstrated in a classroom! This can be compared to other common metals, such as iron and copper, which produce no reaction when dropped into water.
The reactivity series offers a ranking of the metals in order of their reactivity. Group 1 metals, the most reactive metals in the periodic table, head up the rankings. They’re closely followed by the marginally less reactive group two metals. The metals designated as the transition metals in the periodic table are much less reactive, and metals such as gold and platinum prop up the bottom of the series, exhibiting little in the way of chemical reaction with any everyday reagents.
Tin cans are made of steel, not tin, but they do have a coating of tin to stop food inside corroding the steel. Drinks cans are often made of aluminium.
Picture Credit : Google