Question

Question #64eeb

Answer 1

The activity series of metals is a list of metals ranked in order of decreasing reactivity to displace hydrogen gas from water and acid solutions. It can also be used to predict which metals will displace other metals in aqueous solutions.

The series can be used different ways, but the most common use it predict the direction of the reaction and also to predict which metals will displace other metals in aqueous solutions.

A metal can displace metal ions listed below it in the activity series, but not above. For example, zinc is more active than copper and is able to displace copper ions from solution

Zn(s) + `Cu^(2+)`(aq) ------------> `Zn^(2+)`(aq) + Cu(s)

Siver, on the other hand, cannot displace copper ions from solution.