Reactivity of metals key terms

non-metal oxide

An oxide that is formed from a non-metal and typically exhibits acidic properties. In Metal oxides, this term helps explain describe non-metal oxides as acidic for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

acidic

A property of a substance that can donate protons (H+) in a solution, often associated with non-metal oxides.

base

A substance that can accept protons or donate electron pairs in a chemical reaction. In Metal oxides, this term helps explain distinguish an insoluble base from a soluble alkali when describing oxides for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

alkali

A soluble base that produces hydroxide ions (OH-) when dissolved in water. In Metal oxides, this term helps explain distinguish an insoluble base from a soluble alkali when describing oxides for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

reactivity series

A list of metals arranged in order of their reactivity, from most reactive to least reactive.

dilute acid reaction

A chemical reaction that occurs when a metal reacts with a dilute acid, often producing hydrogen gas and a salt.

displacement reaction

A chemical reaction where a more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its compound.

word equation

A representation of a chemical reaction using the names of the reactants and products.

oxidation

The process of gaining oxygen in reactions involving metal compounds. In The reactivity series, this term helps explain explain oxidation as gain of oxygen and reduction as loss of oxygen in reactions involving metal compounds for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

reduction

The process of losing oxygen in reactions involving metal compounds. In The reactivity series, this term helps explain explain oxidation as gain of oxygen and reduction as loss of oxygen in reactions involving metal compounds for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4 For The reactivity series, use reduction in the particle context of oxidation gain oxygen and reduction loss oxygen reactions; this keeps the term tied to Reactivity of metals and avoids confusing it with a nearby acid-base, redox, reactivity, salt-preparation, pH, ion, or electrolysis idea.

oxidation

The process in which a substance loses electrons or gains oxygen. In The reactivity series, this term helps explain identify which substance is oxidised and which is reduced in oxygen-transfer reactions for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

reduction

The process in which a substance gains electrons or loses oxygen. In The reactivity series, this term helps explain identify which substance is oxidised and which is reduced in oxygen-transfer reactions for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4 For The reactivity series, use reduction in the exam wording of which substance oxidised and which reduced oxygen-transfer reactions; this keeps the term tied to Reactivity of metals and avoids confusing it with a nearby acid-base, redox, reactivity, salt-preparation, pH, ion, or electrolysis idea.

Reduction

A chemical reaction where a metal oxide loses oxygen, allowing the metal to be extracted. In Extraction of metals and reduction, this term helps explain explain why metals less reactive than carbon can be extracted from oxides by reduction with carbon for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

Carbon

A non-metal element used to reduce metal oxides in extraction processes for metals less reactive than itself.

metal oxide

A compound formed from a metal and oxygen, often involved in reduction reactions. In Extraction of metals and reduction, this term helps explain describe reduction of a metal oxide by carbon in terms of oxygen removal for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

reduction

A chemical process in which a metal oxide loses oxygen, often facilitated by carbon. In Extraction of metals and reduction, this term helps explain describe reduction of a metal oxide by carbon in terms of oxygen removal for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

Carbon reduction

A process where carbon removes oxygen from a metal oxide, allowing extraction of metals less reactive than carbon.

Reactivity limit of carbon reduction

The principle that metals more reactive than carbon cannot be extracted from their oxides by carbon reduction because the metal would oxidise the carbon instead of the oxide.

Reduction

The gain of electrons by a species during a redox process. In Oxidation and reduction in terms of electrons (HT only), this term helps explain (HT only) Define reduction as gain of electrons for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

Electron Gain

The process by which an atom or ion accepts electrons, becoming reduced. In Oxidation and reduction in terms of electrons (HT only), this term helps explain (HT only) Define reduction as gain of electrons for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

electron transfer

The movement of electrons from one atom or ion to another during a chemical reaction.

displacement reaction

A type of reaction where a more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal from its compound.

Reduced species

The substance that gains electrons in a redox reaction. In Oxidation and reduction in terms of electrons (HT only), this term helps explain (HT only) Identify the species reduced in a redox reaction for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

Oxidised species

The substance that loses electrons in a redox reaction. In Oxidation and reduction in terms of electrons (HT only), this term helps explain (HT only) Identify the species reduced in a redox reaction for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4 For Oxidation and reduction in terms of electrons (HT only), use Oxidised species in the reaction context of the species reduced redox reaction; this keeps the term tied to Reactivity of metals and avoids confusing it with a nearby acid-base, redox, reactivity, salt-preparation, pH, ion, or electrolysis idea.

Oxidation half‑equation

A half‑equation showing the loss of electrons by a species, written with the species on the left and the electrons on the right.

Reduction half‑equation

A half‑equation showing the gain of electrons by a species, written with the species on the right and the electrons on the left.

metal oxide

A compound formed from a metal and oxygen, which can act as a base. In Metal oxides, this term helps explain describe metal oxides as bases for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

base

A substance that can accept protons or donate electron pairs in a chemical reaction. In Metal oxides, this term helps explain describe metal oxides as bases for AQA GCSE Chemistry 8462 Unit 4.4.

alkali

A substance that dissolves in water to produce hydroxide ions (OH-), resulting in an alkaline solution.

metal oxide

A compound formed from the reaction of a metal with oxygen, which can exhibit basic properties.