This exam focus covers Exam Focus within The Reactivity Series for GCSE Chemistry. Revise The Reactivity Series in Chemical Changes for GCSE Chemistry with 20 exam-style questions and 20 flashcards. This topic appears regularly enough that it should still be part of a steady revision cycle. It is section 9 of 11 in this topic. Treat this as a marking guide for what examiners are looking for, not just a fact list.
Topic position
Section 9 of 11
Practice
20 questions
Recall
20 flashcards
🎯 Exam Focus
Frequently Examined
The reactivity series underpins many exam questions. Key question types include:
- Predict reactions: "Will metal X react with the salt solution of metal Y?" (1-2 marks)
- Extraction method: "Explain why aluminium is extracted by electrolysis but iron is not" (3 marks)
- Explain reactivity: "Explain why potassium is more reactive than sodium" — requires electron structure reasoning (3-4 marks)
- Write equations: Metal reacting with water or acid, with state symbols (2-3 marks)
- Observations: Describe what you would see when a reactive metal is added to water (2 marks)
The 6-mark "explain reactivity" answer needs: number of shells, distance from nucleus, shielding effect, and strength of attraction between nucleus and outer electron.
Quick Check: Would zinc displace copper from copper sulfate solution? Explain why.
Yes. Zinc is higher in the reactivity series than copper, so zinc displaces copper. Zn + CuSO₄ → ZnSO₄ + Cu. Zinc atoms lose electrons (are oxidised) and copper ions gain electrons (are reduced).
Quick Check: Why must sodium be extracted by electrolysis rather than carbon reduction?
Sodium is above carbon in the reactivity series, which means sodium is more reactive than carbon. Carbon cannot remove oxygen from sodium compounds because sodium holds onto its oxide too strongly. Electrolysis must be used instead to break the strong ionic bonds in molten sodium chloride or sodium hydroxide.