Some metals are more reactive than others. In two separate reactivity experiments, Year 9 Science students tested magnesium, aluminium, copper, iron, and zinc metals. In the first experiment, students had to immerse each metal into hydrochloric acid and look for the production of fizzy gas bubbles. The fizzier the reaction, the more reactive the metal. In the second experiment, students immersed each metal into an aqueous ionic solution. These ionic solutions included copper sulphate, zinc nitrate, and magnesium nitrate. If a colour change occurred when the solution and metal combined, then students discovered that the immersed metal was more reactive than the metal in the surrounding ionic solution. This is a single replacement reaction in motion!
