Key word/definition card sort

MetalsMost of these are shiny and good conductors of heat and electricity.

Oxygen A gas that makes up one-fifth of air.

Metal oxideThis is made when a metal reacts with oxygen.

Hydrogen This gas burns with a squeaky pop.

A saltA compound that is made when a metal reacts with an acid.

WaterThis is a neutral substance. It is a liquid at room temperature.

Dilute A solution that has lots of water in it.

Reactivity How vigorously a chemical reacts.

Reactivity seriesWhen metals are arranged in the order of how vigorously they react.

Metals and metal salt solutions

What to do

1 Put small samples of each metal in the wells of a spotting tile, as shown below.

2 Add 3–5 drops of zinc sulphate solution to each metal in row 1.

3 Add 3–5 drops of iron sulphate solution to each metal in row 2.

4 Add 3–5 drops of copper sulphate solution to each metal in row 3.

5 Add 3–5 drops of magnesium nitrate solution to each metal in row 4.

6 For each well decide whether or not a chemical reaction has happened. Write down your results.

Metals and metal salt solutions

Put a tick in the boxes where you did see signs of a reaction. Put a cross in the boxes where you did not see signs of a reaction.

Magnesium Iron Copper Zinc

Zinc sulphate solution

Iron sulphate solution

Copper sulphate solution

Magnesium nitrate solution

Cross out the words in bold that are wrong:

Magnesium is the most reactive metal that we used. It did/did not react with solutions of the salts of zinc, iron and copper. Copper is the least reactive metal that we used. It did/did not react with solutions of the salts of magnesium, zinc and iron. Metals react with the salts of metals that are more/less reactive than they are.