What is an activity series, and how is it

used?
An activity series is a list of substances ranked in order of relative reactivity. For example,
magnesium metal can knock hydrogen ions out of solution, so it is considered more reactive than
elemental hydrogen:

Mg(s) + 2 H+(aq) H2(g) + Mg2+(aq)

Zinc can also displace hydrogen ions from solution:

Zn(s) + 2 H+(aq) H2(g) + Zn2+(aq)

so zinc is also more active than hydrogen. But magnesium metal can remove zinc ions from
solution:

Mg(s) + Zn2+(aq) Zn(s) + Mg2+(aq)

The reaction goes nearly to completion [Note 1]. Magnesium is more active than zinc, and the
activity series including these elements would be Mg > Zn > H. The following activity series built
up in a similar way. The most active metals are at the top of the table; the least active are at the
bottom. Each metal is able to displace the elements below it from solution (or, using the language
of electrochemistry, each metal can reduce the cations of metals below it to their elemental
forms).
The metal activity series. Most active (most strongly reducing) metals appear on top, and least active metals appear on the bottom.

Li 2 Li(s) + 2 H2O( ) 2 LiOH(aq) + H2(g)

displace H2 from water, K 2 K(s) + 2 H2O( ) 2 KOH(aq) + H2(g)
steam, or acids Ca Ca(s) + 2 H2O( ) Ca(OH)2(s) + H2(g)
Na 2 Na(s) + 2 H2O( ) 2 NaOH(aq) + H2(g)
Mg Mg(s) + 2 H2O(g) Mg(OH)2(s) + H2(g)
Al 2 Al(s) + 6 H2O(g) 2 Al(OH)3(s) + 3 H2(g)
displace H2 from steam or
Mn Mn(s) + 2 H2O(g) Mn(OH)2(s) + H2(g)
acids
Zn Zn(s) + 2 H2O(g) Zn(OH)2(s) + H2(g)
Fe Fe(s) + 2 H2O(g) Fe(OH)2(s) + H2(g)
Ni Ni(s) + 2 H (aq)
+
Ni2+(aq) + H2(g)
displace H2 from acids
Sn Sn(s) + 2 H+(aq) Sn2+(aq) + H2(g)
only
Pb Pb(s) + 2 H+(aq) Pb2+(aq) + H2(g)
 H2
Cu
Ag
can't displace H2
Pt
Au

The activity series is a useful guide for predicting the products of metal displacement reactions.
For example, placing a strip of zinc metal in a copper(II) sulfate solution will produce metallic
copper and zinc sulfate, since zinc is above copper on the series. A strip of copper placed into a
zinc sulfate solution will not produce an appreciable reaction, because copper is below zinc on
the series and can't displace zinc ions from solution.

The series works well as long as the reactions being predicted occur at room temperature and in
aqueous solution. It isn't difficult to find reactions that are at odds with the metal and nonmetal
activity series under other conditions. There are other complications too. For example, aluminum
would be expected to displace hydrogen from steam, but in fact it won't unless the aluminum
oxide film on its surface is scrubbed off. Copper can't displace hydrogen from acids, but it does
react with acids like nitric and sulfuric because they can act as oxidizing agents.

It might be expected that metals with lower ionization energies and lower electronegativities would
be more active, since they would be expected to more easily lose electrons in a displacement
reaction. But while ionization energy and electronegativity do affect a metal's ranking in the
series, other factors have a strong and complex influence on relative activity [Note 2], obscuring
the relationship.

Activity series can be devised for nonmetals as well. Since nonmetallic elements tend to accept
electrons in redox reactions, the nonmetal activity series is arranged so that the most powerful
oxidizing agents are considered most active (whereas in the metal series, the most powerful
reducing agents are the most active):

The nonmetal activity series. Most active (most strongly oxidizing) nonmetals appear on top, and least active nonmetals appear on the
bottom.

F2 strongest oxidizing agent

Cl2
O2
Br2
I2
S
red P weakest oxidizing agent
For example, the series predicts that Cl2 will displace Br- and I- from solution, because Cl2
appears above Br2 and I2:
 Cl2(g) + 2 Br-(aq) 2 Cl-(aq) + Br2( )
Cl2(g) + 2 I-(aq) 2 Cl-(aq) + I2(s)
Br2( ) + 2 Cl (aq)
-
no reaction
I2(s) + 2 Cl-(aq) no reaction

Notes

1. The reverse reaction does occur- a very tiny amount of zinc placed in a solution of
magnesium ions will dissolve. The reaction is actually an equilibrium, but it lies far to the
right. Back

2. Ionization energies and electronegativies are derived for the gas phase- while the activity
series applies to solutions, under standard conditions. Enthalpies of hydration and
sublimation for the metal also must be considered in rationalizing its place in the activity
series. For a more detailed discussion of these points, see Dr. R. Peters' AUFBAU1
notes.

Also, a metal's rank on the activity series is determined by the free energy change it
undergoes when it transfers electrons in a redox reaction. The free energy change
includes contributions from the entropy change associated with the process as well as
from the energy required or released. Even when the ionization energies, sublimation
energies, and hydration energies of two metals are very similar, the entropy contribution
can make their activities quite different. Back

Please Potassium
Stop Sodium
Calling Calcium
Me Magnesium
A Aluminium
Zebra Zinc
Its Iron
Not Nickel
That. Tin
Lovely Lead
Call Copper
Me Mercury
Something Silver
Great Gold
Please Platinum