how do you remember the activity series? (1 Viewer)

mushroom_head

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the activity series of metals?! i thought u didn't have to know them.?!
but anyway, u know the data sheet they give u in the exams, there's a whole list of them there in order so u don't have to remember them off by heart.
 

dingding

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you don't have to know it. but it is pretty useful.

I know they give you the table of standard reduction potentials. but thats different to the activity series of metals.
 

Ogden_Nash

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K Na Ca Mg Al Zn Fe Sn Pb Cu Ag Au

I'll tell you how I remember this activity series, hopefully it helps...

I say 'kanakamigal' to myself to remember the first 5 metals.

Then 'ZFS' for the next 3.

Finally, I know the order of the last 4 off by heart, not that hard to learn.


Give it a go, see how it works.
 

Xayma

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Go (Gold)
Pretty (Platnium)
Slow (Silver)
Man (Mercury)
Cause (Copper)
Love (Lead)
Tunes (Tin)
In. (Iron)

Zulu (Zinc)
Are (Aluminium)
Mighty (Magnesium)
Cool (Calcium)
But (Berylium)
Stir (Sodium)
Pulses (Potassium)

Yay I remember all that from yr 8 science.
 

Aerials

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very nice... I like the way you put that! I think I'll remember it now too
 

Xayma

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Originally posted by spice girl
hmm last time i checked, beryllium was less active than calcium.
Well I dont know exactly, it might be a bit off (the words it is), I learnt it in yr 8. I took a guess at the last bit.
 

tina_goes_doo

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Mine makes no sense whatsoever, but i made this up in yr 9 and it's stuck.

Potassium (potatos)
Sodium (soaked in)
Calcium (caramel)
Magnesium (make)
Aluminium (alright)
Zinc (zoos)
Iron (in)
Tin (the)
Lead (long)
Copper (copper)
Silver (song)
Gold (gold -> easy to remember anyway)
 

babygoose!

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peter (K)
said (Na)
barry (Ba)
could (Ca)
marry (Mg)
anne (Al)

zebra (zn)
is (Fe)
the (Sn)
little (Pb)
horse (H)
coloured (Cu)
many (Hg)
stripes (Ag)
painted (Pt)
gold (Au) !!

some corny little thing my chem teacher came up with...but hey, i can remember it.>!
 

Paroissien

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That's not exactly the same, but is it good enough for all intensive purposes?
 

Xayma

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Yes, you just have to remember that gold is less active then platnium.

And also remember that metals decrease in reactivity across a period (excluding transitional metals) and increase down a column (again excluding transitional metals)
 

gershy

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Learning the activity series is so 1960's. The table of standard electrode potentials is close enough. I wouldn't lose any sleep over this one. :eek:
 

silvermoon

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tina_goes_doo said:
Mine makes no sense whatsoever, but i made this up in yr 9 and it's stuck.

Potassium (potatos)
Sodium (soaked in)
Calcium (caramel)
Magnesium (make)
Aluminium (alright)
Zinc (zoos)
Iron (in)
Tin (the)
Lead (long)
Copper (copper)
Silver (song)
Gold (gold -> easy to remember anyway)
only u tina! personally, i always went 4 one that linked them all 2 actual activities...cause its the activity series...oh the layers of meaning! yeah, i'll shut up now :p
 

mr EaZy

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i never tried to remember anything, u guys are freaky!
All what i do is just know that
Zn,
li
k are very active metals

ag, au and others are v.stable
and other things like copper are in the centre

you dont need to remember what comes directly above what, coz in a battery, two metals similar in strenght will not produce much voltage. They dont give that knida situation in questions.
 

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