Question Video: Determining Which Metal Is the Most Active Science • Third Year of Preparatory School

Video Transcript

Some metals are very active, and other metals are less active. The figure shows five different metals. Which of these metals is the most active?

In order to determine which of the five metals is the most active, we can look at the series of chemical activity. The series of chemical activity lists the elements in order of decreasing activity. So, elements near the top are more active than elements further down the list. Highly active elements usually have more vigorous reactions than less active elements.

If we locate the five metals given in the series of chemical activity, we see that potassium is the most active. Potassium is so reactive that it reacts very rapidly and intensely with ordinary tap water. Potassium also readily reacts with oxygen and water in the air. So it’s often stored in oil to prevent these reactions from occurring. In conclusion, based on the series of chemical activity, the most active of the five metals listed is potassium.