GCSE Chemistry Reactivity & metals questions by topic

Four metals are compared: calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc.

1. (a)Which metal fizzes in cold water?[1]
2. (b)Which two metals react with dilute acid but not cold water?[1]
3. (c)Which metal does not react with dilute acid?[1]
4. (d)Write the four metals in decreasing reactivity order.[1]

Complete the word equations, or write “no reaction”.

1. (a)Magnesium + oxygen →[1]
2. (b)Copper + dilute hydrochloric acid →[1]
3. (c)Zinc + hydrochloric acid →[1]
4. (d)Sodium + water →[1]

A student dips strips of metal into salt solutions and records whether a coating forms.

1. (a)Explain why the copper strip stays uncoated.[2]
2. (b)Complete the “?” entries with yes or no, giving a reason each.[2]

Define oxidation and reduction, then apply the definitions.

1. (a)Define oxidation in terms of oxygen.[1]
2. (b)In ZnO + C → Zn + CO, name the substance reduced.[1]
3. (c)Name the substance oxidised in (b).[1]
4. (d)State the role of carbon in this reaction.[1]

Aluminium and iron are both everyday metals with very different prices.

1. (a)State the extraction method used for each metal.[2]
2. (b)Explain why the methods differ.[2]

Three metals are tested. Metal A fizzes vigorously in cold water; metal B gives a few slow bubbles in cold water; metal C shows no change in cold water or dilute acid.

1. (a)Put A, B and C in order from most to least reactive.[1]
2. (b)Choose from potassium, magnesium and copper to identify A, B and C, and explain each choice.[3]
3. (c)State one additional test that would confirm C’s position in the reactivity series.[1]

The hulls of some ships carry blocks of magnesium bolted to the steel below the waterline.

1. (a)Explain why the steel hull does not rust while the magnesium blocks are attached.[2]
2. (b)Name this type of protection.[1]
3. (c)State what happens to the magnesium blocks over the years, and what this means for maintaining the ship.[2]

A student places equal magnesium ribbons into equal volumes of dilute hydrochloric acid and dilute ethanoic acid of the same concentration, and separately into cold water.

1. (a)Describe and explain the observations in the two acids.[3]
2. (b)Write the balanced symbol equation for magnesium with hydrochloric acid.[2]
3. (c)Predict the observation in cold water and justify it.[1]

The blast furnace reduces iron(III) oxide: Fe₂O₃ + 3CO → 2Fe + 3CO₂.

1. (a)State where the carbon monoxide comes from.[2]
2. (b)Explain why this reaction is a redox reaction, naming the substance reduced.[2]
3. (c)State why limestone is added.[1]
4. (d)Give one reason the furnace runs continuously.[1]

Copper can be extracted by heating copper oxide with carbon powder.

1. (a)Write the word equation.[1]
2. (b)Explain why carbon can do this but cannot extract aluminium the same way.[2]
3. (c)State how aluminium is extracted instead and one consequence of that method.[2]
4. (d)State one property that makes aluminium worth the extra cost.[1]

Powders of copper(II) oxide and magnesium are heated together. A red-brown solid appears.

1. (a)Identify the red-brown solid and the other product.[2]
2. (b)Write the balanced symbol equation.[2]
3. (c)Name the reducing agent.[1]

Zinc is extracted from its sulfide ore in two stages. Stage 1 roasts the ore in air: 2ZnS + 3O₂ → 2ZnO + 2SO₂. Stage 2 reduces the oxide: ZnO + C → Zn + CO.

1. (a)Explain why the ore must be roasted before stage 2 would work well.[1]
2. (b)In stage 2, name the substance oxidised and the substance reduced, and explain each choice in terms of oxygen.[3]
3. (c)Zinc sits below carbon in the reactivity series. State why this matters for the extraction, and name one metal that carbon could not reduce.[2]

A bioleaching operation produces a leachate containing copper sulfate solution. Scrap iron is added to the leachate in a large tank.

1. (a)Write the ionic equation for the reaction that recovers the copper.[2]
2. (b)State what would be observed as the reaction proceeds.[1]
3. (c)Explain why iron is a suitable metal for this job, referring to its position in the reactivity series.[2]
4. (d)Give one reason scrap iron is chosen rather than zinc for this industrial recovery.[1]

Displacement in solution: Fe(s) + CuSO₄(aq) → FeSO₄(aq) + Cu(s).

1. (a)Write the ionic equation for the reaction.[2]
2. (b)Write the two half equations and label oxidation and reduction.[3]
3. (c)Explain, in terms of electrons, why iron but not copper performs this displacement.[2]

A mining company owns a spent heap containing 0.5% copper compounds. Conventional smelting is not economic.

1. (a)Describe how bioleaching could recover copper from this heap.[3]
2. (b)Give two advantages and one disadvantage of bioleaching over opening a new mine.[3]
3. (c)State how the copper ions in the leachate would be turned into pure copper metal.[1]

Titanium is extracted from titanium chloride by displacing it with sodium: TiCl₄ + 4Na → Ti + 4NaCl.

1. (a)Explain why sodium, not carbon, is used as the reducing agent here.[2]
2. (b)In terms of electrons (Higher), identify what is oxidised and what is reduced.[3]
3. (c)Calculate the mass of sodium needed to extract 24 g of titanium (Ti 48, Na 23).[3]

A student tests four unknown metals V, W, X, Y by dropping a strip of each into solutions of the other metals’ nitrates. The results table shows where a coating forms.

1. (a)Write the four metals in order from most to least reactive.[2]
2. (b)Assuming the metals form 2+ ions, write the ionic equation for the reaction between metal W and X nitrate solution.[2]
3. (c)Explain, in terms of electrons, why X cannot displace Y.[2]
4. (d)State which of the four metals could definitely be extracted from its oxide by heating with carbon.[1]

A rail-welding charge uses the thermite reaction: 2Al + Fe₂O₃ → Al₂O₃ + 2Fe. The charge contains 5.4 g of aluminium powder and excess iron(III) oxide (Al 27, Fe 56, O 16).

1. (a)Explain why the reaction happens, referring to the two metals’ positions in the reactivity series.[1]
2. (b)Calculate the moles of aluminium and hence the mass of iron formed.[3]
3. (c)Calculate the mass of aluminium oxide formed.[2]
4. (d)Show that your answers conserve mass, stating the mass of iron(III) oxide that reacted.[2]