Curriculum fit: GCSE Chemistry and Combined Science (chemical changes: reactivity series). US: high school physical science (chemical reactions).
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What Is It?
The reactivity series ranks metals from the most reactive to the least reactive. A more reactive metal loses electrons more easily to form positive ions.
Knowing the series lets you predict how a metal reacts with water and acids, whether it can displace another metal from a compound, and how it is extracted from its ore.
Key Formulas and Ideas
- Reactivity series (most to least): potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, aluminium, (carbon), zinc, iron, (hydrogen), copper, silver, gold.
- A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its compound.
- Metals above carbon are extracted by electrolysis; metals below carbon can be extracted by heating with carbon (reduction).
- Metal + acid → salt + hydrogen.
Worked Examples
Displacement
Will magnesium displace copper from copper sulfate solution? Write the word equation.
- Magnesium is more reactive than copper, so it will displace it.
- Magnesium + copper sulfate → magnesium sulfate + copper.
✓ Answer Yes: magnesium sulfate and copper form
No Reaction
Will copper displace zinc from zinc sulfate?
- Copper is less reactive than zinc.
- A less reactive metal cannot displace a more reactive one.
✓ Answer No reaction
Extraction
How is iron extracted from iron oxide?
- Iron is below carbon in the reactivity series.
- Carbon can take the oxygen from iron oxide.
✓ Answer By heating with carbon (reduction)
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Predicting a displacement reaction in the wrong direction.
- Forgetting that carbon and hydrogen are placed in the series for comparison only.
- Writing that the metal is reduced when it is displaced from a compound. The metal ion is reduced.
- Mixing up the extraction methods.
Practice Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does gold stay shiny?
It is very unreactive, so it hardly reacts with oxygen or water.
What is oxidation?
Loss of electrons. A metal is oxidised when it forms positive ions.
Keep Going With These Guides
Acids, Bases and the pH Scale: Reactions and Neutralisation
Read the pH scale, write neutralisation equations and name the salts acids make, with a titration calculation for Higher tier.
GCSEHigh SchoolElectrolysis Explained: Products at Each Electrode
See how electricity splits ionic compounds, and predict the products at the anode and cathode for molten and aqueous solutions.
GCSEA-LevelHigh SchoolBalancing Chemical Equations: A Step-by-Step Method
Learn how to balance equations by counting atoms, with worked examples including combustion, plus practice questions with explained answers.
GCSEHigh SchoolSources and Review
Reviewed by StudyMorrow editorial review on 5 Nov 2026.