Name: _______________________________________________

Reactivity Series
IGCSE Year 11 Revision
Date:

Time:
Total marks available:
Total marks achieved: ______

Questions
Q1.
A student found this information about hydrogen.

(a) (i) The student repeated Boyle's experiment using iron and dilute sulfuric acid.
State two observations that he could have made.
(2)
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Complete the word equation for this reaction.
(1)
iron + sulfuric acid ....................................... + .........................................
(b) Balance the equation for the complete combustion of hydrogen.
(1)
..................... H2 + ..................... O2 ..................... H2O
(c) To show that the liquid produced by burning hydrogen was pure water, a student carried out a
chemical test and a physical test.
(i) The chemical test involved adding a few drops of the liquid to a sample of anhydrous copper(II)
sulfate.
State the colour change observed.
(2)
Initial
colour ...........................................................................................................................................................
Final
colour.............................................................................................................................................................
(ii) Place a cross
in one box to show the formula of the compound formed in this chemical test.
(1)
A

Cu(OH)2

CuSO4

CuSO4.H2O

CuSO4.5H2O

(iii) The physical test involved measuring a property of the liquid.

State a suitable physical property and give the value for pure water.

(2)
Physical property
..............................................................................................................................................
Value
..............................................................................................................................................
(d) (i) Suggest what property of hydrogen makes it suitable for filling balloons.
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Helium is now used instead of hydrogen to fill balloons.
State the property of helium that makes it more suitable than hydrogen for filling balloons.
(1)
(e) Write an equation, including state symbols, to show the process that occurs when hydrogen is
liquefied.
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
(Total for Question = 12 marks)

Q2.
The reactivity of metals can be studied using displacement reactions. In these reactions, one metal is
added to a solution of a salt of a different metal.
If a displacement reaction occurs, there is a temperature rise.
A student used the following method in a series of experiments.
Pour some metal salt solution into a polystyrene cup supported in a glass beaker and record the
temperature of the solution.
Add a known mass of a metal and stir.
Record the maximum temperature of the mixture.(a) Suggest three variables that should be kept the
same for the student's experiments to be a fair test.
(3)
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
(b) The student used a thermometer to measure the temperature rise. The diagrams show the
thermometer readings
before and after adding the metal.

Use the diagrams to complete the table.

(3)

(c) The student used copper(II) sulfate solution in all her experiments. She used five different metals. She
did not know
the identity of the metal labelled X.
The student did each experiment twice. The table shows her results.

(i) Which of the metals gave the least reliable temperature rise?
Explain your choice.
(2)
Metal
..............................................................................................................................................
Explanation
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Identify the most reactive of the metals used.
Explain how the results show that it is the most reactive.
(2)
Metal
..............................................................................................................................................
Explanation
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
(iii) Why is there no temperature rise when silver is added to copper(II) sulfate solution?
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
(iv) Why do the results make it impossible to decide which of the metals is the least reactive?
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
(d) A word equation for one of the reactions is
zinc + copper(II) sulfate copper + zinc sulfate
Write a chemical equation for this reaction.
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
(Total for Question = 13 marks)

Q3.
The diagrams show the reactions of some metals with cold water and with dilute hydrochloric acid.

(a) Answer the following questions, using only the metals that appear in the diagrams.
(i) Name two metals that react with cold water.
(2)
..............................................................................................
and ..............................................................................................
(ii) Name one metal that reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid but not with cold water.
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
(iii) Arrange the five metals in order of reactivity.
(3)
Most reactive metal

..............................................................................

..............................................................................
..............................................................................
..............................................................................
Least reactive metal ..............................................................................
(b) Some magnesium powder is added to dilute sulfuric acid in a test tube.
A colourless solution is formed and a gas is given off.
When more magnesium is added, the reaction continues for a while and then stops,
leaving some magnesium powder in the test tube.
When a flame is placed at the mouth of the test tube, the gas burns with a squeaky pop.
(i) Identify the gas produced.
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Suggest why the reaction stops.
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
(iii) State the name of the colourless solution.
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
(iv) How could you separate the magnesium powder from the colourless solution?
(1)

..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
(c) In some fireworks, magnesium powder reacts quickly with oxygen in the air.
During this reaction heat energy is produced.
(i) What name is given to reactions in which heat energy is produced?
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Name the compound formed when magnesium reacts with oxygen.
(1)
..............................................................................................................................................
(Total for Question = 12 marks)

Q4.
Aluminium and iron have some similar properties.
Both metals

are malleable
are ductile (can be drawn into a wire)
are good conductors of electricity
are good conductors of heat
have a high melting point

(a) (i) Choose two properties from the list that make iron a suitable metal for saucepans.
(2)
1 ..........................................................................................................................................
2 ..........................................................................................................................................
(ii) Choose two properties from the list that make aluminium a suitable metal for power cables.
(2)
1 ..........................................................................................................................................
2 ..........................................................................................................................................
(b) Steel is an alloy containing iron.
These are three differences between steel and aluminium.

steel can rust but aluminium resists corrosion

steel has a higher density than aluminium
steel is much stronger than aluminium
(i) Use information from the list to suggest why steel is the better metal for making bridges.
(1)

.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Use information from the list to suggest why aluminium is the better metal for making aircraft
bodies.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
(c) The reaction between aluminium and iron(III) oxide is known as a thermite reaction.
The diagram shows how this thermite reaction can be carried out.

The magnesium ribbon is lit to ignite the reaction mixture.

The reaction is highly exothermic.
The equation for the reaction is
2Al + Fe2O3 Al2O3 + 2Fe
(i) What is meant by the term exothermic?
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(ii) What does the reaction suggest about the reactivity of aluminium compared to the reactivity of
iron?
Explain your answer.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(iii) Which element is oxidised in this thermite reaction?
Give a reason for your answer.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

.............................................................................................................................................
(d) This thermite reaction can be used to join together two rails on a railway line.

The reaction mixture is ignited and molten iron pours into the mould. The mould is removed and the
molten iron solidifies to create a join between the two rails.
Explain why the iron produced in the reaction is molten.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 12 marks)

Q5.
A student carries out an investigation to compare the reactivities of four metals, aluminium, copper, zinc
and M.
He adds strips of zinc to the aqueous solutions of the nitrates of each metal.
After a few minutes he removes the strips of zinc and examines them.
The table shows his results.

(a) Name the substance that causes the brown coating on the zinc.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
(b) State why there is no change in the experiment with zinc nitrate solution.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(c) The student repeats the experiment with strips of metal M instead of strips of zinc. The table shows
his results.

Using information from both tables of results, place the metals aluminium, copper, zinc and M in order

of decreasing reactivity.
(2)
most reactive ...................................................................
...................................................................
...................................................................
least reactive ...................................................................
(d) Magnesium reacts with an aqueous solution of silver nitrate.
The reaction can be represented by the ionic equation

(i) State why this reaction is described as a redox reaction.

(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(ii) Explain, in terms of electrons, which species is behaving as an oxidising agent in this reaction.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 7 marks)

Q6.
Titanium is extracted from its main ore, rutile, in a three-stage process.
Stage 1

Rutile is heated with chlorine and coke (carbon) at a temperature of about 900C.
TiO2 + 2Cl2 + 2C TiCl4 + 2CO

Stage 2
argon.

TiCl4 is then added to liquid magnesium at a temperature of about 800C in an atmosphere of

TiCl4 + 2Mg Ti + 2MgCl2

During the reaction the temperature rises to about 1100C.
Stage 3 The magnesium chloride is removed by distillation from the mixture formed in stage 2, leaving
behind pure titanium.
(a) In stage 1, is the carbon oxidised or reduced?
Give a reason for your answer.
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(b) What does the reaction in stage 2 indicate about the reactivity of magnesium compared to the
reactivity of titanium?
Explain your answer.
(2)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(c) In stage 3, suggest why distillation can be used to remove magnesium chloride from titanium.

(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(d) Titanium has these properties.

it is corrosion resistant
it has a high melting point
it has a very high strength-to-weight ratio
it is non-toxic
Complete the table to suggest an important property of titanium for each use.
Choose from the four properties listed.
You must choose a different property for each use.
(3)

(Total for Question = 7 marks)

Q7.
The thermite reaction is used on railways to produce molten iron for joining rails together. The diagram
shows how this is done.

The equation for this thermite reaction is

2Al + Fe2O3 Al2O3 + 2Fe
(a) What does this reaction show about the reactivity of iron compared to the reactivity of aluminium?
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(b) Why is this reaction described as displacement?
(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(c) State two reasons why the term oxidation applies to aluminium in this reaction.
(2)
1 ..........................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
2 ..........................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................
(d) Although the thermite reaction is exothermic, it only begins after a lot of heat energy is supplied.
How is this heat energy supplied?

(1)
.............................................................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................................................

(Total for question = 5 marks)

Examiner's Report
Q1.
In this question about hydrogen, few candidates scored both marks in (a)(i), the commonest error being
the formation of a precipitate., while in (a)(ii), water often appeared instead of hydrogen and
occasionally an incorrect oxidation state appeared in iron sulfate. Parts (c)(i)-(ii) were generally correct,
but unsuitable properties such as pH were occasionally seen. In part (d), most scored the mark in (i)
but rarely in (ii), where helium was often stated to be less dense than hydrogen. Few correct answers
were seen in (e), where the term "liquefied" was not understood, the commonest error being to include
oxygen as a reactant and water as the product.
Q2.
Part (a) of this question about metal displacement reactions caused problems for candidates - some
suggestions about same starting temperature and same polystyrene cup were unsuitable, while many
other answers were incomplete (often mass or volume) or incorrect (mass of salt). Part (b) was
generally well answered, although with some misreadings of the scales (17.35 instead of 17.7 and 22.2
instead of 22.4). Part (c) proved challenging for many candidates. Although most chose magnesium in
(i) the second mark was not scored because of the lack of a comparison - stating that there is a large
difference in the temperatures for magnesium is not sufficient. Similarly in (ii), it is not sufficient to state
that the temperature rise is high, although the mark would have been awarded for stating that the
temperature rise was the highest (or higher than for the other metals). Answers to (c)(iii) were usually
correct, but in (iv) the commonest non-scoring answer was "the temperature changes for silver and X
are the same", rather than "silver and X showed no temperature rise". The equation in (d) was often
correct, although some started with Cu2SO4, no doubt because of the given oxidation state.
Q3.
This was a very high scoring question, as was expected. Some candidates did not read the given
information carefully and hence stated in (b)(ii) that both reactants had been used up or that the
magnesium had completely reacted. The most common mistake in (b)(iii) was to state that the
colourless solution was magnesium sulfide.
Q4.
Few incorrect answers were seen in either (a) or (b). In (c)(i), the term 'exothermic' should be explained
with reference to 'heat energy' (as in the specification); 'heat', but not just 'energy' is an acceptable
alternative.
In (c)(ii), the second mark was not awarded to candidates who said that aluminium displaces 'oxygen' or
'iron oxide'. A simple definition of oxidation in terms of gain of oxygen was expected in (iii), although
an answer in terms of electron transfer were also accepted, as long as this did not contradict any answer
in terms of oxygen.

Part (d) discriminated well between candidates, with few using language correctly enough. All exothermic
reactions release heat energy but would not cause the change of state we see here, as the heat energy
dissipates to the surroundings. Here, the key is that the heat energy is contained and the result is that a
high temperature is reached, above the melting point of iron. It was this reference to temperature that
eluded many.

Q5.
Copper was often given as the correct answer to part (a), but the incorrect answers of copper (II) or
copper ions were also seen.
Part (b) was generally poorly answered. A very common error was to state that zinc cannot react with
zinc, rather than zinc cannot react with zinc ions. It was considered too vague to state merely that no
displacement would occur.
Candidates had to combine information from two tables in order to deduce an answer to part (c). This
proved problematical for some, although many fully correct answers were seen. Common errors were to
list the nitrates instead of the metal, and to list the correct metals in reverse order.
Part (d) (i) was generally answered well, usually in terms of both reduction and oxidation taking place,
although some chose correctly to state that both gain and loss of electrons was occurring. Lack of
precision in the answer was the downfall for some, who stated, for example, that a redox reaction involves
either reduction or oxidation, rather than both.
There were some fully correct answers to part (d) (ii), but many failed to gain the first mark by stating that
silver, rather than the silver ion, was acting as the oxidising agent. These candidates usually went on the
state that the silver was gaining electrons so were awarded the second mark on the basis of a 'near miss'
answer for the oxidising agent. Some thought that an oxidising agent was a species that was oxidised and
hence gave magnesium, because it is losing electrons, as their answer.

Q6.
Part (a) was well answered although some failed to offer a reason for their answer and others stated that
oxidation had taken place because the carbon had lost electrons rather than gained oxygen.
Most recognised in (b) that magnesium was more reactive than titanium, but some lost the explanation
mark through careless use of language. For example, candidates should have stated that magnesium
displaces titanium and not that it displaces chlorine.
In part (c), the examiners expected candidates to draw on their knowledge of the general principles
involved in distillation of liquid mixtures to reach the conclusion that magnesium chloride and titanium
must have different boiling points. Again, however, there was some confusion between melting points and
boiling points, and some thought that magnesium chloride could be separated by distillation because it
was soluble in water.
All three marks were regularly gained in part (d), although some lost marks through not reasoning
scientifically, stating for example that the non-toxicity of titanium was a relevant property for its use as a
propeller, or that having a high melting point was important when used in a hip replacement.

Q7.
Part (b) was not well answered with many candidates merely repeating the information given in the
question by using the word 'displaces'. The examiners were looking for a word or phrase that indicated
what is meant by displacement in this context. The two most common correct answers were that
aluminium replaces iron, or takes the place of iron. Only a third of the candidates were able to produce a
correct answer to (d). The rest did not recognise that is was the burning of the magnesium in oxygen that
was generating the heat.

Mark Scheme
Q1.

Q2.

Q3.

Q4.

Q5.

Q6.

Q7.