GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 1
voltmeter

(b)

greater difference between the reactivity of the metals

the greater the voltage
references between more reactive metal & greater voltage

1
1
1

(c)

accept any value between 0.6 and 1.6 volts

(d)

stays at 1.6 volts

(e)

silver is slightly less reactive than copper

(f)

liquid will spill out of the container / not portable

e.c
ma

D
A
B
C
(2 for all correct, 1 for one mistake)

A = magnesium
B = iron
C = platinum
D = calcium
(4 correct 3 marks, 3 correct 2 marks
2 correct 1 mark)

(c)

ww
w.c

he

(b)

TOTAL 8

ctiv

QUESTIONSHEET 2
(a)

om

(a)

(i)

2 HCl

(ii)

MgCl2 contains Mg2+

formula is MgSO4

1
1

(iii)

magnesium nitrate

TOTAL 9

GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 3

(ii)

no reaction

(iii)

reaction
magnesium sulphate + zinc

1
1

(i)

loss of oxygen/gain of hydrogen/gain of electrons

(ii)

magnesium + copper oxide magnesium oxide + copper

(iii)

magnesium circled

(iv)

the minimum energy

required for a reaction to happen

(i)

lead oxide/copper oxide

(ii)

calcium oxide/potassium oxide

QUESTIONSHEET 4

TOTAL 12

lithium
barium
magnesium
aluminium
all correct 2 marks, 2 correct 1 mark

ww
w.c

(b)

solution
aluminium nitrate
barium nitrate
lithium nitrate
magnesium nitrate

(c)

1
1
1

he

(a)

om

1
1

e.c

(c)

reaction
zinc sulphate + copper

ctiv

(b)

(i)

ma

(a)

aluminium

barium

lithium
9

magnesium

4 correct - 3 marks
3 correct - 2 marks
2 correct one mark

aluminium reacts with oxygen/air

forms layer of aluminium oxide
coating prevents aluminium from reacting

1
1
1
TOTAL 8

GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 5

(c)

(ii)

lowers melting point of aluminium oxide

process uses less energy/cheaper

1
1

(iii)

anode
2O2- O2 + 4e-

cathode
Al3+ + 3e- Al

haematite

(ii)

loss of oxygen/gain of hydrogen/gain of electrons

(iii)

3CO + Fe2O3 3CO2 + 2Fe

(iv)

road building/fertiliser

e.c

(i)

om

bauxite

ctiv

(b)

(i)

aluminium higher than carbon in series

carbon not reactive enough to reduce aluminium oxide

QUESTIONSHEET 6

TEST - use of a named indicator

eg.Universal or pH indicator
RESULT - correct colour for the indicator used
eg.turns blue/purple

ww
w.c

he

(a)

ma

(a)

1
1
2
1
1
1

TOTAL 12

(b)

M2O

(c)

GROUP 1
REASON - forms compounds with similar formula to group 1 metals/
(accept named metal)/forms single positive ions
NOT - reacts violently with water
(this could be a group 2 metal)

(d)

REACTIVITY SERIES - correct order, placing mancunium at the top

REASON - group 1 metals appear at the top of the reactivity series

1
1

(e)

copper + mancunium sulphate

(i)

mancunium sulphate

(ii)

2 MOH + H2SO4 M2SO4 + 2H2O

(1 mark for correct formulae for products)
(1 mark for balancing)

(f)

TOTAL 11

GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 7
(i)

iron + aluminium oxide

(ii)

2 Al and 2 Fe BOTH REQUIRED

(b)

aluminium is more reactive / higher in reactivity series than iron

metals will therefore swap places / displacement occurs

1
1

(c)

gives a larger surface area

therefore gives a higher rate of reaction / reacts more quickly

1
1

(d)

(i)

copper is less reactive than iron / is lower in the reactivity series

therefore no reaction will take place

1
1

magnesium / zinc

QUESTIONSHEET 8
measuring cylinder / burette/ pipette

(b)

chemical balance / balance

NOT weighing machine or scales
temperature would rise
brown / pink solid formed
solution becomes colourless /
blue colour of solution fades

he

(c)

ma

(a)

ctiv

e.c

(ii)

om

(a)

TOTAL 9

1
1
1
1

Cu + ZnSO4 BOTH REQUIRED

(e)

some zinc will be left over / unreacted at the end of the reaction /
more than enough zinc to react with the copper sulphate

(i)

no reaction would take place

(ii)

zinc is less reactive than magnesium / magnesium is more reactive than zinc
zinc will not be able to displace magnesium

1
1

(f)

ww
w.c

(d)

TOTAL 10

GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 9

1
1

(d)

(e)

copper + oxygen copper oxide

(1 mark for identifying oxygen as a reactant)
(1 mark for identifying the oxide as the sole product)

(f)

metal D is very reactive with water

metals react more vigorously with acid than with water
(references to 'too dangerous' scores 1 mark)

1
1

ww
w.c

he

ctiv

REASON - reacts vigorously with water/ most reactive metal

ma

(c)

D
B
A
LEAST REACTIVE C
(1 mark for C being placed as least reactive)

MOST REACTIVE

om

(b)

ONE FROM:
metal A - reaction with air - colour change
metal B - reaction with air - colour change
metal B - reaction with water - fizzing/bubbles/effervesces
metal D - reaction with air - colour change
metal D - reaction with water - fizzing/bubbles/effervesces

e.c

(a)

TOTAL 10

GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 10
copper

reacts with steam

iron

vigorous reaction in cold water

magnesium

no reaction with steam or water

potassium

reacts reversibly with steam

om

(a)

(ii)

magnesium/ iron

(i)

hydrogen

(ii)

lighted splint
pops/explodes

QUESTIONSHEET 11

(b)

(c)

1
1
1
1
1
TOTAL 8

aluminium
zinc
iron
lead
(4 correct 2 marks, 2 correct 1 mark)

(i)

MgSO4(aq) + Cu(s) Mg(s) + CuSO4(aq)

(ii)

Any two from:

magnesium dissolves
brownish copper metal precipitated
blue colour of solution fades

(iii)

copper last/bottom
magnesium first/top

1
1

(i)

no reaction

(ii)

reaction
aluminium sulphate + iron

ww
w.c

(a)

ctiv

potassium

ma

(c)

(i)

he

(b)

e.c

one per connection

TOTAL 10

GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 12
Any two from:
sodium melts/becomes molten ball
moves across water quickly
increased amount of fizzing

(ii)

2Na + 2H2O 2NaOH + H2

(iii)

purple/dark blue
pH 12 14

1
1

(i)

alkali metals

(ii)

have one electron in outer shell

(iii)

reactivity increases down group

outer electron becomes further from nucleus
nucleus has less force of attraction on outer electron/ increased shielding
outer electron is lost more easily

QUESTIONSHEET 13

he

ma

(c)

Any two from:

potassium moves across water at increased speed
burns with lilac flame
sparks/explodes

e.c

(b)

om

(i)

ctiv

(a)

2
1
1
1
1
1
1
TOTAL 13

oxygen and water BOTH REQUIRED

(b)

zinc corrodes instead of the iron

NOT forms a protective barrier

(c)

zinc is more reactive than iron/ zinc is higher in the reactivity series.

(d)

sea water is needed to complete the circuit

(e)

arrow points away form the zinc block

(f)

PREDICTION : iron would rust faster

REASON : iron is more reactive than copper and so will corrode first

1
1

(g)

nails placed in salt water and in deionised water

some form of observation or measurement of rusting after a period of time
use of 'fair' test or comparison between the two results

1
1
1

ww
w.c

(a)

TOTAL 10

GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 14

(b)

TWO FROM :
brown solid formed
blue solution will fade/become colourless
zinc dissolves

(ii)

copper + zinc sulphate BOTH REQUIRED

(i)

13oC

(ii)

exothermic

(iii)

TWO FROM:
add greater mass of zinc
use a more concentrated solution of copper sulphate
use a more reactive metal than zinc/accept a named metal

(i)

ctiv

e.c

(c)

the less reactive metals were discovered first or earlier

om

(a)

ma

QUESTIONSHEET 15

TOTAL 8

brown solid is copper metal

magnesium is more reactive than copper

1
1

(b)

no reaction takes place

copper is less reactive than zinc

1
1

(c)

THREE FROM :
carbon is more reactive than iron
carbon will displace iron from its oxide forming iron metal
carbon is less reactive than aluminium
carbon and aluminium oxide will therefore not react

(d)

zinc is more reactive than hydrogen

zinc will displace hydrogen from an acid to form hydrogen gas
copper is less reactive than hydrogen

1
1
1

(e)

stability of carbonates is linked to the position of metals in the reactivity series

carbonates of metals that are lower decompose more easily

1
1

ww
w.c

he

(a)

TOTAL 12

GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 16
bubbles of gas / fizzing / effervescence/ iron dissolves

(b)

aluminium metal has a layer of oxide present

this makes it resistant to attack / is a protective layer /prevents reaction

1
1

(c)

students were investigating the effects of acid rain

this contains sulphuric acid / formed from sulphur dioxide

1
1

(i)

lead and copper nitrate (ANY ORDER - 1 mark each)

(ii)

brown / pink solid or deposit

(iii)

lead + copper nitrate copper + lead nitrate

(iv)

lead has displaced the copper in the compound

(accept replaced or changed places with)

e.c

ctiv

(d)

sodium

(c)

mercury

(d)

sodium

(e)

magnesium

(f)

iron

(g)

zinc

(h)

sodium

(i)

calcium

he

(b)

ww
w.c

silver

ma

QUESTIONSHEET 17
(a)

om

(a)

1
1

TOTAL 10

1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
TOTAL 9

GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 18
iron
aluminium oxide

1
1

(b)

energy is given out in the reaction / reaction is exothermic

temperature rises above 1500oC to melt the iron

1
1

(c)

increases the surface area

reaction rate is increased / reaction happens faster

1
1

(d)

to allow the molten iron to run into the gap between the rails

(e)

clay is able to withstand the high temperatures reached

(f)

aluminium is more reactive than iron

copper is less reactive than iron
displacement only occurs when the metal is more reactive

ctiv

e.c

om

(a)

(c)

(d)

TOTAL 11

(i)

gain oxygen/lose hydrogen/lose electrons

(ii)

magnesium + oxygen magnesium oxide

OR
copper + oxygen copper oxide

ww
w.c

(b)

magnesium
copper
silver

1
1
1

he

(a)

ma

QUESTIONSHEET 19

(i)

copper becomes black/coated in silver

(ii)

copper more reactive than silver

displaced silver from solution

1
1

(i)

no visible reaction

(ii)

copper is less reactive than magnesium

cannot displace magnesium

1
1

TOTAL 9

GCSE CHEMISTRY

METALS & THE REACTIVITY SERIES

ANSWERS AND MARK SCHEMES

QUESTIONSHEET 20
1

(ii)

magnesium hydroxide (allow oxide)

(i)

hydrogen

(ii)

Two from:
calcium, zinc, iron, lead, nickel

copper/silver/gold/platinum

e.c

gold & silver are unreactive

do not tarnish easily/retain shine
iron would rust/corrode

ctiv

(c)

ma

(iii)

om

hydrogen

he

(b)

(i)

ww
w.c

(a)

1
1
1
TOTAL 9