Final answer:
Yes, an activity series chart is used to compare the reactivity among elements by listing them in descending order of reactivity, enabling predictions about single-replacement reactions.
Step-by-step explanation:
An activity series chart is indeed a tool used to compare the reactivity among elements. It lists elements in descending order of their reactivity, which determines their ability to displace other elements in single-replacement reactions. For metals, the one that is higher in the series can replace any metal below it, and the same principle applies to nonmetals, particularly the halogens. For example, in the presence of iron (III) nitrate and lead (II) nitrate, nickel can replace lead, but not iron, because nickel is above lead but below iron in the activity series. This tool is essentially predictive, allowing us to determine whether a single-replacement reaction will occur spontaneously based on the relative positions of the elements involved.