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The Reactivity Series

CONCEPTUAL
ScienceMatter & Materials|Ages 12—14|ID: mt_zsYW61cn_q

Order common metals in the reactivity series and explain how a more reactive metal displaces a less reactive one; describe how carbon is used to extract metals from their oxides in industry

Mastery Evidence

  • Recalls the order of common metals in the reactivity series (potassium to gold)
  • Predicts whether a displacement reaction will occur given two metals
  • Explains why carbon can be used to extract iron from iron oxide but not aluminium from aluminium oxide
  • Links the reactivity series to the history of metal use (gold found free, iron smelted, aluminium electrolytic)

Assessment Prompt

“If [child] was asked why humans used gold and copper before iron and aluminium, could they explain how a metal's reactivity determines how easy it is to extract — and why carbon can extract some metals but not others?”

Curriculum Standards3 alignments

KS3.Sci.Chem.MAT.1The national curriculum in England
Reactivity Series

the order of metals and carbon in the reactivity series

Science · KS3
KS3.Sci.Chem.MAT.2The national curriculum in England
Obtaining Metals using Carbon

the use of carbon in obtaining metals from metal oxides

Science · KS3
KS3.Sci.Chem.PT.6The national curriculum in England
Chemical Reactions of Metals

chemical reactions of metals with oxygen, water, acids and displacement reactions of metals

Science · KS3

Prerequisites2

Show full prerequisite tree
  • Metals vs Non-Metals hard

    The reactivity series orders metals by their chemical reactivity — metal properties must be understood first

  • Types of Chemical Reaction hard

    Displacement reactions are a key application of the reactivity series — reaction types must be understood first

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