Energy changes and the reactivity series
Some reactions release energy as heat, others absorb it — and how easily a metal reacts tells you exactly where it sits in a very useful league table.
Part of your national curriculum
- Chemistry: chemical reactions: Understand exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions and the reactivity series of metals
Lesson overview
What you'll learn in this lesson
Understand exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions and the reactivity series of metals
Key learning points
- • Exothermic and endothermic reactions
- • Detecting energy changes
- • The reactivity series
This lesson at a glance
- 26 minutes
- 14 parts to scroll through
- 3 quick checks
- Marked quiz at the end
- Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses
Words to know
Scroll down — the lesson carries on below
Watch & discover
Part 1 of 14
Watch first
Energy changes and the reactivity series
An English teaching video on this topic from Revision Monkey. Watch it, then scroll down for the lesson.
In a nutshell
Understand exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions and the reactivity series of metals
Learning cycle
Part 2 of 14
Learning cycle 1 of 2
Part 1 · Exothermic and endothermic reactions
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 3 of 14
Learn
Exothermic and endothermic reactions
An exothermic reaction transfers energy to the surroundings, so the temperature increases — combustion and neutralisation are examples. An endothermic reaction takes in energy from the surroundings, so the temperature decreases — some sports injury cold packs use this.
Explore the idea
Part 4 of 14
Learn
Detecting energy changes
You can detect an exothermic or endothermic reaction with a thermometer: if the temperature of the reaction mixture rises above the starting temperature, it is exothermic; if it falls, it is endothermic.
Quick check
Part 5 of 14
Quick check
What happens to temperature during an exothermic reaction?
Reset break
Part 6 of 14
Pause
That's sitting 1 of 2 done
Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.
Quick check
Part 7 of 14
Quick check
Which of these metals is most reactive?
Learning cycle
Part 8 of 14
Learning cycle 2 of 2
Part 2 · The reactivity series
A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.
Explore the idea
Part 9 of 14
Learn
The reactivity series
The reactivity series ranks metals from most to least reactive (e.g. potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, iron, copper, gold). More reactive metals react more vigorously with water or acid, and can displace less reactive metals from their compounds in a displacement reaction.
Quick check
Part 10 of 14
Quick check
What can a more reactive metal do to a less reactive metal's compound?
Challenge round
Part 11 of 14
Game · Sort it
Which of these are true?
Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.
True
Not true
Challenge round
Part 12 of 14
Game · Fill the gaps
Finish the sentences
Choose the word that belongs in each gap.
An ____ reaction transfers energy to the surroundings, so the temperature increases — combustion and neutralisation are examples.
An ____ reaction takes in energy from the surroundings, so the temperature decreases — some sports injury cold packs use this.
The ____ series ranks metals from most to least reactive (e.g.
Mastery quiz
Part 13 of 14
Marked quiz
End of lesson quiz: Energy changes and the reactivity series
3 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.
1. What happens to temperature during an exothermic reaction?
2. Which of these metals is most reactive?
3. What can a more reactive metal do to a less reactive metal's compound?
Lesson round-up
Part 14 of 14
Lesson round-up
Ready when you are
Quiz score
Not sat
Games
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Points this lesson
0
Best run
0 in a row
Luna: 0 out of 3 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?
Ask LunaDo the work
Your written work for this lesson
This is the part you'd do in your book at school. Pick the pieces below, write here or on paper, and photograph anything you draw or work out.
Why the school greenhouse failed
A science club grew tomato plants in the school greenhouse. In June the plants grew well: leaves were dark green and the fruit set quickly. In July the club went away for two weeks and left the greenhouse door shut. When they came back, the leaves were curled and pale and most of the fruit had dropped.
The club had a data logger inside. It showed the temperature reached 46 °C on several afternoons and the soil moisture fell close to zero. The club knew photosynthesis needs light, water and carbon dioxide, and that enzymes in a plant work best in a narrow range of temperature. Above that range the enzymes stop working properly.
The club repeated the summer with the door propped open and a water bottle drip on each pot. Temperature peaked at 31 °C and the plants survived.
Written for Good Learning Co.
Reading questions
- Name the variable the club changed the second time, and one variable they kept the same.
- Explain, using the words photosynthesis and enzymes, why the plants were damaged in July.
- Write a conclusion for the club's report, saying how far the evidence supports it.
Method and results
WritingWrite the aim, what you changed, what you measured and what you kept the same, then record your results in a table.
1 page + results table
Conclusion
WritingExplain what your results show and why, using the scientific words from the lesson. Say how you know you can trust them.
6–8 sentences
Labelled diagram
DiagramDraw the apparatus or the process in pencil, label it fully, and photograph it.
1 labelled diagram
Reading and notes
ReadingRead the lesson text again and write the key ideas in your own words.
Half a page of notes
Saved as you type.
Part 1 of 14 · Watch & discover
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Understand exothermic and endothermic chemical reactions and the reactivity series of metals