ChemWhiz ReferenceReactivity
Activity Series of Metals
The activity series ranks metals by their tendency to lose electrons and react. Use it to predict whether a single replacement reaction will occur.
01Use this when
Deciding whether a single-replacement reaction happens: a free metal displaces the ion of any metal below it, and metals above hydrogen displace H2 from acids.
02Conditions
Aqueous solution; ranked by tendency to lose electrons (oxidation).
03Watch out
The reaction proceeds only if the free metal sits ABOVE the ion it would replace; equal or below means no reaction.
Activity Series (Most to Least Reactive)
A metal displaces the ion of any metal below it; metals above hydrogen react with acids to release H2.
20 of 20
| Lithium | Li | Li+ | Most reactive | Cold water, steam, acids |
| Potassium | K | K+ | Very high | Cold water, steam, acids |
| Barium | Ba | Ba2+ | Very high | Cold water, steam, acids |
| Calcium | Ca | Ca2+ | High | Cold water, steam, acids |
| Sodium | Na | Na+ | High | Cold water, steam, acids |
| Magnesium | Mg | Mg2+ | Medium-high | Steam, acids |
| Aluminum | Al | Al3+ | Medium-high | Steam, acids |
| Zinc | Zn | Zn2+ | Medium | Steam, acids |
| Chromium | Cr | Cr3+ | Medium | Steam, acids |
| Iron | Fe | Fe2+ | Medium | Steam, acids |
| Cobalt | Co | Co2+ | Low-medium | Acids only |
| Nickel | Ni | Ni2+ | Low-medium | Acids only |
| Tin | Sn | Sn2+ | Low-medium | Acids only |
| Lead | Pb | Pb2+ | Low | Acids only |
| Hydrogen | H | H+ | — | Reference point |
| Copper | Cu | Cu2+ | Low | Oxidizing acids only |
| Mercury | Hg | Hg2+ | Very low | Oxidizing acids only |
| Silver | Ag | Ag+ | Very low | Oxidizing acids only |
| Platinum | Pt | Pt2+ | Extremely low | Aqua regia only |
| Gold | Au | Au3+ | Least reactive | Aqua regia only |
Important Notes
- Metals above hydrogen in the series can displace hydrogen from acids.
- Metals above another metal in the series can displace it from a solution of its salt.
- The most reactive metals (Li through Na) react vigorously with cold water.
- Metals from Mg through Fe react with steam but not cold water.
- Metals below hydrogen do not react with common acids (HCl, H2SO4). They require oxidizing acids like HNO3.
- Gold and platinum resist nearly all chemical attack except aqua regia (a mixture of HNO3 and HCl).
- The series ranks the thermodynamic tendency to be oxidized, not the reaction rate; a favorable displacement can still be slow (aluminum, shielded by its oxide layer, is the classic example).
- Rows are shaded by reactivity zone: metals that displace hydrogen from cold water (top band), then from steam, then from acids, down to the hydrogen reference line (bold); metals below hydrogen (grey) resist common acids and react only with oxidizing acids or aqua regia.
Verification references: OpenStax Chemistry 2e, Appendix L; Chapter 18; Chapter 19.