Samples of four metals A, B, C and D were taken and added to the solutions given in the following table, one by one. The results obtained are as follows:
Metal | Iron (II) sulphate | Copper (II) sulphate | Zinc sulphate | Silver nitrate |
A | No reaction | Displacement | ||
B | Displacement | No reaction | ||
C | No reaction | No reaction | No reaction | Displace |
D | No reaction | No reaction | No reaction | No reaction |
Use the above table to answer the following questions about metals A, B, C and D:
(i) Which is the most reactive metal?
(ii) What would you observe when metal B is added to a solution of copper (II) sulphate?
(iii) Arrange the metals A, B, C and D in the order of decreasing reactivity.
(i) Metal B gives the displacement reaction with the iron (II) sulphate, hence it is the most reactive metal.
(ii) When metal B is added to copper (II) sulphate solution, it displaces the copper.
(iii) Metal B is the most reactive metal whereas metal D is the least reactive metal as it cannot displace any metal from its salt solution. Hence, the decreasing order of reactivity of the metals is:
B > A > C > D.