Relationship Between the Reactivity and Discovery of Metals

By Umema Khan 8C

The Reactivity Series1) Potassium2) Sodium3) Lithium4) Calcium5) Magnesium6) Aluminum7) Carbon8) Zinc9) Iron10) Tin11) Lead12) Hydrogen13) Copper14) Silver15) Gold16) Platinum

In Text Referencing (1)

Explanation The reactivity series in the previous slide showed

the metals that are most reactive to the metals that are the least reactive (top to bottom). I am trying to investigate the relationship between the discovery years of the metal and how reactive each metal is. To do this on the following slides I have written the discovery date of a few metals and how reactive each one is. This is about the discovery of metals and it is linking to the AOI Human Ingenuity because it is about discovery of metals and their discoverers. And how the different chemists created different substances.

1.Potassium

Discovery Date: 1807Extraction Method: “Potassium metal is

prepared by heating potassium carbonate with charcoal.” (2)

Substance Symbol Properties

Potassium Very Reactive MetalSoft and Silvery white and is lustrous

2. Sodium

Discovery Date: 1807Extraction Method: “It is extracted

from sodium chloride by a process called “Down” process” (3)

Substance Symbol Properties

Sodium Very ReactiveLow melting point Soft, silvery

8. Zinc

Discovery: 1708 It was discovered by the

chemist Andreas Marggraf it is used for many things such as galvanizing iron. (8)

Substance Symbol Properties

Zinc Fairly reactive, bluish and white, lustrous (8)

9. Iron

Discovery Date: 1500 BCIt is used for making cars, vans and

many things in the daily life and is usually galvanized. Iron is the third most common metal used. (7)

Substance Symbol Properties

Iron Not very reactiveSilver color, very good conductor of heat and electricity (7)

10. Tin

Discovery: 1750 BCOne of the uses of tin is like soda cans

and things of the sortSubstance Symbol Properties

Tin Not very reactive, silvery white, malleable and ductileb(4)

14. Silver

Discovery: 4000 BCSilver is used a lot for jewelry but not

as common as gold, it is like an inexpensive way to by jewelry. (6)

Substance Symbol Properties

Silver Not at all reactiveSilver in color, ductile and lustrous, high melting point (6)

15. Gold

Discovery: 6000 BCGold is very popular for jewelry, it is

not used for many other things because it is so expensive (5)

Substance Symbol Properties

Gold Not at all Reactive, does not corrode, is a very strong metal yellowish in color (5)

According to the ResultsThis is the timeline

Conclusion By looking at these results I can conclude that the

less reactive the metal the earlier it was discovered, like for example Gold which was discovered in the ancient times, is one of the least reactive metals, and on the flip side, potassium and sodium which were discovered not too long ago in 1807 are the most reactive. This is because gold and silver are found in the ground and did not need other chemicals to make them and are therefore found earlier. I am guessing that according to my results that potassium was discovered later because it is more reactive than sodium.

Bibliography1. http://www.zephyrus.co.ukthereactivityseries.html2. http://www.ucc.ie/academic/chem/dolchem/html/elem/

elem019.html3. http://www.scribd.com/doc/11579771/Extraction-Proper

ties-and-Uses-of-Sodium4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tin5. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold6. http://chemistry.about.com/od/elementfacts/a/

silver.htm7. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron8. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zinc