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.
