Description
- Observe which metals replace ions of another metal compound in solution and write balanced equations for each single-replacement reaction that occurs.
- High school teacher-led, student-engaged demonstration with enough materials for 5 performances.
- Carolina Kits 3D®—Labs that use phenomena to support NGSS and 3-dimensional instruction.
This demonstration introduces students to the phenomenon of the metal activity series. Students apply prior knowledge of single-replacement reactions as they develop a model for ranking metals according to chemical activity. They use evidence from the demonstration to support the claim that a more reactive metal will replace the ions of a less reactive metal in solution. Students write balanced chemical equations for each single-replacement reaction that occurs in the demonstration.
Time Requirement
Total, 25 minutes. Teacher prep, 10 minutes. Demonstration and discussion, 15 minutes.
Digital Resources
Includes 1-year access to digital resources that support 3-dimensional instruction for NGSS. Digital resources may include a teacher’s manual and student guide, pre-lab activities and setup videos, phenomenon videos, simulations, and post-lab analysis and assessments.
Crosscutting Concepts
Patterns
Disciplinary Core Ideas
PS1.A: Structure and Properties of Matter
PS1.B: Chemical Reactions
Science and Engineering Practices
Developing and Using Models
Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions
Learning Objectives
- Observe and record the reactions of several metals with other metallic ions in solution.
- Write balanced single-replacement equations for each reaction observed.
- Develop a metal activity series by ranking metals from high to low on the basis of their reactions with other metals’ ions.
Prerequisite Knowledge and Skills
Students should be familiar with oxidation-reduction reactions and have the ability to write balanced net equations for single-replacement reactions.