Reactivity series

The facts below are known about four metals, P, Q, R and S. What is the correct reactivity order, with the most reactive first?

May/June 2015

Metal $A$ pushes metal $B$ out of a solution containing its ions. Metal $B$ pushes metal $C$ out of a solution containing its ions. What might $A$, $B$ and $C$ be?

May/June 2015

A student places solid zinc powder into a beaker of aqueous copper(II) sulfate. Which of the following observations are correct?

May/June 2015

The diagrams show four tubes. In each tube, a piece of metal is placed in an aqueous solution containing ions of one of the other two metals.

May/June 2015

By heating with iron, which metal oxide is reduced?

May/June 2016

Zinc and iron both react with dilute sulfuric acid.

May/June 2016

The statements provide some chemical characteristics of metal X and its compounds.

May/June 2016

The statements describe several chemical properties of cobalt and its compounds.

May/June 2016

A small piece of calcium is put into a test-tube of water that has been turned green by Universal Indicator.

May/June 2016

Zinc undergoes reaction with dilute sulfuric acid. $\text{Zn} + \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4 \rightarrow \text{ZnSO}_4 + \text{H}_2$ What conclusion can be drawn from this equation about the reaction?

May/June 2017

The outcomes of experiments on four metals, W, X, Y and Z, and their ions are shown below: $Y(s) + Z^+(aq) \rightarrow Y^+(aq) + Z(s)$ $W(s) + X^+(aq) \rightarrow$ no reaction $Z(s) + X^+(aq) \rightarrow Z^+(aq) + X(s)$ How are the reactivities of the four metals ordered, from the most reactive to the least reactive?

May/June 2017

Which of the following statements about the reactions of some metals and metal compounds is correct?

May/June 2018

A student explores the reactivity order of four metals by putting samples of each metal into aqueous solutions of their nitrates.

May/June 2018

X is a colourless solution containing an oxidising agent. Y is a colourless solution containing a reducing agent. Z is a metal that lies between iron and calcium in the reactivity series.

May/June 2018

Copper displaces metal M from aqueous M nitrate. Which statement about metal M and its compounds is correct?

May/June 2019

Which metal reacts with steam and may be obtained from its ore by reduction using carbon?

May/June 2021

The equations for several reactions involving metals Q, R and T are shown below. $\text{2QNO}_3(aq) + \text{Cu}(s) \rightarrow \text{2Q}(s) + \text{Cu(NO}_3)_2(aq)$ $\text{R}(s) + \text{TSO}_4(aq) \rightarrow \text{T}(s) + \text{RSO}_4(aq)$ $\text{T}(s) + \text{H}_2\text{SO}_4(aq) \rightarrow \text{TSO}_4(aq) + \text{H}_2(g)$ From these equations, what is the reactivity order of Q, R and T?

May/June 2023

Metal X reacts with cold water and gives off a gas. Zinc can displace metal Y from a solution of its salts. The carbonate of metal Z does not dissolve. Which metals could X, Y and Z be?

May/June 2023

The table displays the reactions of four metals, P, Q, R and S, and their oxides. What is the sequence of reactivity, starting with the most reactive metal and ending with the least reactive metal?

May/June 2024

A student compares the reaction of four metals, A, B, C and D, with aqueous copper(II) sulfate. The four metals are each grey solids. The student: • pours $25\,\text{cm}^3$ of aqueous copper(II) sulfate into a beaker and notes its temperature • enters this temperature in Table 2.1 • adds a sample of A to the aqueous copper(II) sulfate • stirs the reaction mixture until the temperature no longer increases • measures the maximum temperature of the mixture and enters this temperature in Table 2.1 • notes any visible change in the appearance of the mixture in the beaker. The student then repeats the experiment three further times, using B, C and D instead of A. The results for D are shown in Fig. 2.1. The results for A, B and C are shown in Table 2.1. Table 2.1 metal | starting temperature / ^{\circ}C | maximum temperature / ^{\circ}C | temperature rise / ^{\circ}C A | 20 | 69.5 | 49.5 B | 24.5 | 46.0 | C | 22.0 | 61.0 | 39.0 D | | |

May/June 2024

Magnesium is added to aqueous copper(II) sulfate and copper is produced, together with aqueous magnesium sulfate. Which equation shows this reaction correctly?

May/June 2025

The four metals and hydrogen are placed in descending order of reactivity as follows: potassium, aluminium, zinc, hydrogen, copper. Which statement about these elements is correct?

Oct/Nov 2015

What is observed when a strip of silver is placed in an aqueous solution of copper(II) sulfate?

Oct/Nov 2015

Metal $X$ reacts with oxygen in air. The oxide has the formula $XO$. $X$ is able to displace zinc from aqueous zinc nitrate. Which metal could $X$ be?

Oct/Nov 2015

The reactivity order for four metals $W$, $X$, $Y$ and $Z$ is given, arranged from the most reactive to the least reactive.

Oct/Nov 2015

An aqueous copper(II) sulfate solution is put into an iron container and left for several days. Which statement describes the change that occurs?

Oct/Nov 2016

An iron container is filled with aqueous copper(II) sulfate solution and then left undisturbed for several days. Which statement describes the outcome?

Oct/Nov 2016

Electrical energy can be produced by using simple cells as shown. Which pair of metals, when used as electrodes, will produce the greatest reading on the voltmeter, $V$?

Oct/Nov 2016

In one experiment, $1$ mol of powdered copper and $1$ mol of powdered zinc are put into a flask. Dilute acid, with $1$ mol of acid in it, is then added to the flask. The flask is then kept until any reactions that occur have finished. Which diagram shows the outcome of the experiment?

Oct/Nov 2017

Which pair of reagents will take part in a displacement reaction?

Oct/Nov 2018

Metal carbonates break down when heated. Which carbonate has the greatest thermal stability?

Oct/Nov 2019

What occurs when a strip of silver is placed into aqueous copper(II) sulfate?

Oct/Nov 2020

The four metals below, along with hydrogen, are shown in descending order of reactivity: potassium aluminium zinc hydrogen copper Which statement about these elements is correct?

Oct/Nov 2020

Magnesium reacts with aqueous copper(II) sulfate to produce copper and aqueous magnesium sulfate. Which equation correctly represents this reaction?

Oct/Nov 2020

In the reactivity series, silver is positioned below hydrogen. Which row shows the chemicals used and the method of separation used to obtain a pure sample of silver chloride?

Oct/Nov 2020

What occurs when a strip of silver is placed into aqueous copper(II) sulfate?

Oct/Nov 2020

The five substances below are shown in order of decreasing reactivity: potassium → aluminium → zinc → hydrogen → copper Which of the following statements about these elements is correct?

Oct/Nov 2020

Different metals react with water in different ways. Which of the following statements is correct?

Oct/Nov 2021

Group I elements and transition elements are metals. Student X says that the Group I elements are higher than hydrogen in the reactivity series, but that not every transition element is higher than hydrogen. Student Y says that the densities of Group I elements are lower than the densities of transition elements. Which students are correct?

Oct/Nov 2024

Heating the oxide of Z with carbon causes it to be reduced. What is Z?

Oct/Nov 2024

A metal ore includes the oxide, MO. Metal M produces coloured compounds. If a piece of iron is added to a solution that contains aqueous $\text{M}^{2+}$ ions, M is displaced. Which row is correct?

Oct/Nov 2024

When a piece of aluminium is put into cold, dilute hydrochloric acid, no reaction is seen at first. What causes this?

Oct/Nov 2025