Reactivity Series

This wiki helps us understand the notion of \(\ce{Reactivity}\) \(\ce{series}\).

Usually, reactivity series refers to the reactivity of metal elements or just metals. Depending upon their reactivity, their chemical properties have been discovered and established.

The chemical properties of the metals are mostly referring to their electron releasing tendency of their atoms. Greater the tendency, more will be the reactivity of the metal, and vice-versa.

Now let us have a look at the Reactivity Series or also called sometimes as The Activity Series, and understand what it is...

\[\begin{align} \ce K& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Potassium}\\
\ce{Na}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Sodium}\\
\ce{Ba}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Barium}\\ \ce{Ca}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Calcium}\\ \ce{Mg}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Magnesium}\\ \ce{Al}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Aluminium}\\ \ce{Zn}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Zinc}\\ \ce{Cr}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Chromium}\\ \ce{Fe}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Iron}\\ \ce{Cd}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Cadmium}\\ \ce{Co}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Cobalt}\\ \ce{Ni}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Nickel}\\ \ce{Sn}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Tin}\\ \ce{Pb}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Lead}\\ \ce{H}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Hydrogen}\\ \ce{Cu}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Copper}\\ \ce{Hg}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Mercury}\\ \ce{Ag}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Silver}\\ \ce{Au}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Gold}\\ \ce{Pt}& \ \ \ \ \ \ce{Platinum} \end{align}\]

The list of elements given above comprisies the reactivity series. Here, Potassium \(\ce{(K)}\) is the most reactive metals whereas Platinum \(\ce{(Pt)}\) is the least reactive metals. The metals placed in the lower stages of the reactivity series are called as \(\ce{Noble}\) \(\ce{metals}\), that's because they react extremely less.

But we notice a peculiar thing in the series... \(\ce{Hydrogen}\) is present, even though it is a Non-metal!

The reason is that \(\ce{Hydrogen}\) \(\ce{(H)}\) can behave as an electro-positive element like metals, and we aren't pretty sure whether it is a metal or a non-metal.

\[\ce{H^+}\ + \ce{e^-}\ \to \ce{H}\]

The relative position of elements in the Reactivity Series have set the basis upon the study of their chemical properties.