S4.7.6 For the adult
The reactivity series
Why is gold found shining in the ground, but iron is found as dull red rock?
What this chapter teaches
Metals can be ordered by how they react with water and dilute acid. A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive one. Carbon is more reactive than iron, so it removes the oxygen from iron oxide in the blast furnace, which is reduction. Metals above carbon need electricity.
Three questions to ask
There is no one right wording. Listen for the idea.
- How can you tell from a reaction with acid which of two metals is more reactive?
- Why can carbon extract iron but not aluminium?
- What do the coke, the hot air and the limestone each do in the blast furnace?
After the chapter, the learner can
- Order metals by how they react with water and acid
- Explain how carbon is used to extract iron from its ore
What they copy into their notebook
A more reactive metal displaces a less reactive one. Carbon is above iron, so it removes the oxygen from iron oxide: reduction. Aluminium is above carbon.