Question

Which metal is most active, and how do you know this?

Rank the metals in order of increasing reactivity.
Provide the chemical equations for each single replacement reaction that took place.
Was Fe^3+ reduced? If so, which metals acted as reducing agents?

Answer 1

The most active metal is potassium based on its position in the activity series. Metals can be ranked in order of reactivity through single replacement reactions. Iron (Fe^3+) can be reduced by more reactive metals such as aluminum and zinc.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most active metal is potassium based on its position in the activity series. The activity series is a list of metals arranged in order of their reactivity. Elements higher up in the series are more reactive and can replace elements lower down. For example, potassium can replace any metal below it in the series.

The reactivity of metals can be determined through single replacement reactions. In these reactions, a more reactive metal will replace a less reactive metal in a compound. The chemical equation for a typical single replacement reaction is: Metal A + Compound B ---> Metal B + Compound A.

Iron (Fe^3+) can be reduced by more reactive metals. Metals that can act as reducing agents for Fe^3+ include aluminum and zinc. These metals have a higher reactivity and can reduce Fe^3+ to iron metal.