[chelbyk]

I did an experiement involving the activity series in chemistry last week and we recieved questions about the lab, but I am having a lot of confusion relating what we did in lab to the questions. In the lab we explored the reactions of elements (Ca, Fe, Zn, Mg) with different metals (CuSO4, FeSO4, FeNO3, Zn(NO3)2, Mg(NO3)2, Ca(NO3)2.

Now, the questions for the lab ask which of the six metals above would react best with oxygen. I have no idea how the lab we did even tells that.

Also, when you have Fe+2 and Fe+3, how do you know which will be more reactive?

Thirdly, a question states the sodium is slightly less reactive than calcium. It says to predict the outcome of sodium with the following reactions...
Na + H2O --->
Na + O2 ---->
Na + HCl --->
Na + Ca+2 ---->

I believe for the reaction of water the outcome would be H2 + 2NaOH
with oxygen i think it's Na + O2
and with HCL NaCl + H2
with calcium though, i was confused.

Lastly, we are given 2 MO --> 2M + O2 and are asked which of the oxides would be expected to be thermally unstable and decompose according to the equation. I don't even know how to begin this.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I've asked other classmates and they seem to be confused on how this related and how to find the answers as well. I've emailed my teacher but pretty much got snubbed. The past few days I have been researching to try and find any help, but it is either too advanced for me to understand or does not answer the assigned question.

Thank you.

[LQ43]

what do you understand by the term "more" active or "less" active?
this could help..
http://antoine.frostburg.edu/chem/senese/101/redox/faq/activity-series.shtml

Observations are important. Hope you took lots of notes of what happened.


1. Did you set up a table with the metals vs the compounds that you reacted with your observations recorded? If not, doing this might help you to determine patterns like which metal reacted most often? which reacted least? same question for the compounds

2. which one of the compounds had Fe+2? which one had Fe+3. How did they react in your lab?

3. see link above, this might help you to predict


4. related to the reactivity of the metal, the more active what do you think it would do as an oxide? stay as an oxide or not (i.e. decompose)?