The Activity Series

and

Solubility Rules

We have looked at several single displacement reactions:

Fe(s) + CuSO4 (aq) Cu (s) + Fe2(SO4)3

Li + H2O LiOH + H2

The activity series ranks the relative reactivity of metals.

A metal does NOT always react with metal ions in

aqueous solutions.

The activity series allows us to predict if certain

chemicals will undergo single displacement reactions

when mixed

Metals near the top are most reactive and will

displacing metals near the bottom.

KNaLiCaMgAlZnFeNiSnPbH

CuHgAgAu

Q: Which of these will react?

Fe + CuSO4

Ni + NaCl

Li + ZnCO3

Al + CuCl2

Cu + Fe2(SO4)3

Yes, Fe is

above Cu

NR (no reaction)

No, Ni is

below Na

Zn + Li2CO3

Cu + AlCl3

Yes, Al is

above Cu

KNaLiCaMgAlZnFeNiSnPbH

CuHgAgAu

Yes, Li is

above Zn

Other Activity Series Information

All metals will have a specific place in theactivity series. For simplicity, only the mostcommon metals are shown.

The metals near the top of the activity seriesare more reactive because their valenceelectrons are more easily removed.

On tests and exams the activity series mayappear as K, Na, … Ag, Au; you mustremember that K is reactive, Au is not.

Q: Does a reaction occur between Copper + Silver Nitrate

Cu + AgNO3 Ag + Cu(NO3)2

Yes, Cu is

above Ag

KNaLiCaMgAlZnFeNiSnPbH

CuHgAgAu

Image: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Chemistry 12

Activity series Practice

1. On the next slide, place a check in the corner of boxes where you think reactions will take place.

2. Write chemical equations for chemicals that react. Write NR where there was no reaction.

Mg Cu Zn

Mg + AgNO3

Ag+ Mg(NO3)2

NR

NR

NR

Cu + AgNO3

Ag+ Cu(NO3)2

Zn + AgNO3

Ag+ Zn(NO3)2

AgN

O3

H2 S

O4

Fe(N

O3 )

3C

uC

l2

Mg + H2SO4

H2 + MgSO4

Zn + H2SO4

H2 + ZnSO4

Mg+ Fe(NO3)3

Fe+ Mg(NO3)2

Zn+ Fe(NO3)3

Fe+ Zn(NO3)2

Mg + CuCl2

Cu + MgCl2

Zn + CuCl2

Cu + ZnCl2

Solubility Rules and Precipitation Reactions

Precipitation Reactions

Precipitation reactions: are double displacement

reactions that produce a precipitate

Not all ionic compounds dissolve!

When a solid doesn’t dissolve it is called

insoluble. A solid that forms when two solutions

are mixed is called a precipitate.

Instead of doing experiments all the time to see

which ones will dissolve, we use The solubility

rules.

Sodium chloride + Silver nitrate

Both reactants are soluble.

One product is soluble, the other one is

precipitate

Which product is a solid? Use the solubility

rules to find out the precipitate

Solubility Rules

1) All nitrates (NO3-) are soluble.

2) All ammonium (NH4+) or alkali (Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+, Fr+)

compounds are soluble.

3) All carbonates (CO32-), phosphates (PO4

3 -) and hydroxides

(OH-) are insoluble except with the cations in Rule #2.

4) All chlorides (Cl-), bromides (Br-), and iodides (I-), aresoluble except with Ag+, Pb2+, or Hg+.

5) All sulphates (SO42-) are soluble except with Ca2+, Sr2+, Ba2+,

Ra2+, Pb2+,

Which of the following are soluble in water?

a. SrSO4

b. NaNO3

c. PbCl2

Not soluble

soluble

Not soluble

Predict the products of the following reaction: (if no solid precipitate is formed, there is no reaction)

Pb(NO3)2(aq) + KI (aq)

Pb(NO3)2(aq) + 2KI (aq) PbI2(s) + 2KNO3 (aq)

We know it is a solidprecipitate because it is insoluble according tothe solubility rules.

A picture of the reaction:

Because K+ and NO3- remain dissolved, they are called

spectator ions and are not included in the net ionicequation.

Net Ionic Equation

Pb2+ (aq) + 2I-(aq) PbI2(s)

Pb2+ NO3-

NO3-

K+ I-

NO3-

K+

PbI2(s)

Sodium chloride + Silver nitrate Sodium nitrate + Silver chloride

NaCl (aq) + AgNO3 (aq) NaNO3 (?) +AgCl (?)

Using the solubility rules:

Nitrates are soluble

AgCl is insoluble

(White precipitate)

Identify the precipitate

Image: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Chemistry 12

Net Ionic Equation

Write the balanced chemical and net ionic equation for:

Na2CO3(aq) + CaCl2(aq)

Step 1: Write the balanced chemical equation

Na2CO3(aq) + CaCl2(aq) CaCO3(s) + 2NaCl (aq)

Insoluble precipitate

Step 2: Remove the spectator ions (those that are soluble).

Ca2+(aq) + CO32-(aq) CaCO3(s)

Image: McGraw-Hill Ryerson Chemistry 12

Practice Questions:

1) Does the reaction occur?

2) Yes Predict the products & Write skeleton equations

Single Displacement: using reactivity series

Double Displacement: Use the solubility rules, state if the reaction will occur.

For D.D. Write chemical equations and net ionic

potassium + water potassium hydroxide + hydrogen

gas

Skeleton equation:

K + H2O KOH + H2

single or double displacement?

Single Displacement Reaction

balanced equation:

__K + __H2O __KOH + __H2

2K + 2H2O 2KOH + H2

zinc + tin(II)chloride zinc chloride + tin

Skeleton equation:

Zn + SnCl2 ZnCl2+ Sn

single or double displacement?

Single Displacement Reaction

__Zn + __SnCl2 __ZnCl2 + __Sn

Zn + SnCl2 ZnCl2 + Sn (balanced)

Gold + water

No Reaction

potassium iodide + lead(II) nitrate potassium nitrate +

lead(II) iodide

skeleton equation:

KI + Pb(NO3)2 K NO3 + PbI2single or double displacement?

Double Displacement Reaction

balanced equation:

__KI + __Pb(NO3)2 __KNO3 + __PbI2

2KI + Pb(NO3)2 2K NO3 + PbI2

Copper + Aluminum Chloride

skeleton equation:

Cu+ AlCl3 NR

HW: Predict the products and

write net ionic reactions

MgCl2+ NaOH

KI + NaNO3

Na2SO4 + Sr(OH)2