Teachers’ Guided Notes
AQA GCSE Chemistry
Revision Notes – Chemical Changes
4.1 Reactivity of Metals
4.1.1 Metal Oxides
Metals react with oxygen in the air to produce metal oxides
● Metals + oxygen -> metal oxides
Oxidation and reduction involve the addition or removal of oxygen from a substance and
are called redox reactions
● Known as oxidation reactions because the metals gain oxygen
● Reduction= loss of oxygen & oxidation= gain of oxygen
A common example is the reaction with red-brown copper metal to produce black copper
oxide:
2Cu + O2 ---- 2CuO
In this reaction copper metal has been oxidised since oxygen has been added to it
Another example is the reaction of zinc oxide with carbon:
ZnO + C ---- Zn + CO
In this reaction the zinc oxide has been reduced since it has lost oxygen. The carbon atom
has been oxidised since it has gained oxygen Tip
REDOX are simultaneous reactions as they occur at the same time in the same reaction.
4.1.2 The reactivity series
● When metals react with other substances, metal atoms form positive ions by
loss of electrons
● Reactivity of a metal is related to its tendency to form positive ions
The tendency of a metal to lose electrons is a measure of how reactive the metal is
● Metals can be arranged in order of their reactivity in a reactivity series
A metal that is high up on the series loses electrons easily and is thus more
reactive than one which is lower down on the series
GCSE – AQA CHEMISTRY: Chemical Changes 1
,Teachers’ Guided Notes
o Metals potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and
copper can be put in order of their reactivity from their reactions with
water and dilute acids:
There are several reactivity series mnemonics to help you remember the order of the
metals
One that we like goes as follows: “Please send lions, cats, monkeys and cute zebras into hot
countries signed Gordon”
Reactivity Series Mnemonic Table
GCSE – AQA CHEMISTRY: Chemical Changes 2
, Teachers’ Guided Notes
GCSE – AQA CHEMISTRY: Chemical Changes 3
AQA GCSE Chemistry
Revision Notes – Chemical Changes
4.1 Reactivity of Metals
4.1.1 Metal Oxides
Metals react with oxygen in the air to produce metal oxides
● Metals + oxygen -> metal oxides
Oxidation and reduction involve the addition or removal of oxygen from a substance and
are called redox reactions
● Known as oxidation reactions because the metals gain oxygen
● Reduction= loss of oxygen & oxidation= gain of oxygen
A common example is the reaction with red-brown copper metal to produce black copper
oxide:
2Cu + O2 ---- 2CuO
In this reaction copper metal has been oxidised since oxygen has been added to it
Another example is the reaction of zinc oxide with carbon:
ZnO + C ---- Zn + CO
In this reaction the zinc oxide has been reduced since it has lost oxygen. The carbon atom
has been oxidised since it has gained oxygen Tip
REDOX are simultaneous reactions as they occur at the same time in the same reaction.
4.1.2 The reactivity series
● When metals react with other substances, metal atoms form positive ions by
loss of electrons
● Reactivity of a metal is related to its tendency to form positive ions
The tendency of a metal to lose electrons is a measure of how reactive the metal is
● Metals can be arranged in order of their reactivity in a reactivity series
A metal that is high up on the series loses electrons easily and is thus more
reactive than one which is lower down on the series
GCSE – AQA CHEMISTRY: Chemical Changes 1
,Teachers’ Guided Notes
o Metals potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron and
copper can be put in order of their reactivity from their reactions with
water and dilute acids:
There are several reactivity series mnemonics to help you remember the order of the
metals
One that we like goes as follows: “Please send lions, cats, monkeys and cute zebras into hot
countries signed Gordon”
Reactivity Series Mnemonic Table
GCSE – AQA CHEMISTRY: Chemical Changes 2
, Teachers’ Guided Notes
GCSE – AQA CHEMISTRY: Chemical Changes 3
