Metal reactivity series – dropping metal into solution

Integrated ScienceChemical ReactionsAges 14–15

Choose a metal from the reactivity (activity) series — K, Na, Ca, Mg, Al, Zn, Fe, Pb, H, Cu, Ag, Au — and a solution: dilute HCl or H₂SO₄, the salts CuSO₄, AgNO₃, FeSO₄, ZnSO₄, or plain water. Drop the metal into the test tube and watch for H₂ bubbles, a fresh metal layer plating the strip, a color change in the solution, or no reaction at all — exactly as predicted by each metal's position in the series. A balanced chemical equation and explanation update continuously as you experiment.