Question

Rank the metals from most reactive (1) to least reactive (3) tantalum niobium dubnium

Answer 1

Tantalum:

2

Niobium:

3

Dubnium:

1

Answer 2

As you go down the periodic table, the nuclear charge increases but so does the number of shielding electrons. Consequently the dominant factor is that we have more and more energy levels and the electrons are further and further away from the nucleus making it easy for reaction. Therefore, the ranking would be as follows:

dubnium
tantalum
niobium