Reactivity series: past paper questions

Where the questions come from

• Question 30May/June 2026, paper 11Multiple choice1 mark

  Nickel reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid. The reaction is slower than the reaction of iron with dilute hydrochloric acid. Strontium reacts with cold water more slowly than sodium reacts with cold water, but faster than iron reacts with cold water.

  Try this question
• Question 23Oct/Nov 2025, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The results of the reaction of metals W, X, Y and Z with cold water and dilute acid are shown.

  Try this question
• Question 27Oct/Nov 2024, paper 11Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Silver metal is separately tested with cold water, with steam and with dilute hydrochloric acid. Which row identifies the tests that show the chemical reactivity of silver?

  Try this question
• Question 27Oct/Nov 2023, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The list gives the order of some metals and hydrogen in the reactivity series. Metal X is also included.

  Try this question
• Question 25May/June 2026, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Which row identifies properties of zinc?

  Try this question
• Question 27Oct/Nov 2025, paper 12Multiple choice1 mark

  Substance G reacts with: ● dilute acids to produce hydrogen ● steam to produce a basic oxide ● oxygen to produce a basic oxide. What is substance G?

  Try this question
• Question 30Oct/Nov 2024, paper 12Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Four metals, W, X, Y and Z, are tested with either cold water, steam or both. The observations are shown.

  Try this question
• Question 28Oct/Nov 2023, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  A metal M is between sodium and magnesium in the reactivity series. Which reactions occur with M and its oxide?

  Try this question
• Question 16May/June 2026, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  Which word equation is correct?

  Try this question
• Question 24Oct/Nov 2025, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  The properties of four metals, E, F, G and H, are shown. E does not react with cold water, but reacts with steam. F does not react with water or dilute acid, but the oxide of F is reduced by carbon.

  Try this question
• Question 29Oct/Nov 2024, paper 13Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Four metals, P, Q, R and S, are added separately to water and to dilute hydrochloric acid. The table shows the results.

  Try this question
• Question 25Oct/Nov 2023, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  When a piece of aluminium foil is added to dilute hydrochloric acid, no effervescence is seen. Which statement explains why no effervescence is seen?

  Try this question
• Question 28May/June 2026, paper 13Multiple choice1 mark

  Cobalt is a metal. It is more reactive than hydrogen, but less reactive than iron. Which statements are correct?

  Try this question
• Question 26Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  What is the correct order of reactivity of the following metals, from least reactive to most reactive?

  Try this question
• Question 23Oct/Nov 2024, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  Part of a steel ship is protected from rusting using a sacrificial metal. What is a suitable sacrificial metal?

  Try this question
• Question 26May/June 2026, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  The equation for the reaction between magnesium and aqueous copper(II) sulfate is shown. $$\text{Mg}+{\text{CuSO}}_4\to \text{Cu}+{\text{MgSO}}_4$$ Which statement is correct?

  Try this question
• Question 27Oct/Nov 2025, paper 21Multiple choice1 mark

  The equation for the reaction between aluminium and iron(III) oxide is shown. $$2\mathrm{A}\mathrm{l}+\mathrm{F}{\mathrm{e}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3\to \mathrm{A}{\mathrm{l}}_2{\mathrm{O}}_3+2\mathrm{F}\mathrm{e}$$ Which statement about this reaction is correct?

  Try this question
• Question 24Oct/Nov 2024, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  When aluminium is placed in dilute hydrochloric acid, there is no reaction. When zinc is placed in dilute hydrochloric acid, bubbles of gas are immediately given off. Which statement correctly explains these observations?

  Try this question
• Question 26Oct/Nov 2023, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  When zinc is added to an aqueous solution containing magnesium ions, there is no reaction. Which species has the greatest tendency to lose electrons?

  Try this question
• Question 26May/June 2026, paper 22Multiple choice1 mark

  Aluminium does not react with dilute hydrochloric acid. Zinc reacts with dilute hydrochloric acid to produce hydrogen gas. Which statement explains these observations?

  Try this question
• Question 26Oct/Nov 2025, paper 22Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Four different metals are separately added to water. The oxide of each metal is separately heated with carbon. The results are shown.

  Try this question
• Question 26Oct/Nov 2024, paper 23Multiple choice1 mark

  Which row shows the correct order of reactivity of the four named metals?

  Try this question
• Question 28May/June 2026, paper 23Multiple choice1 mark

  Four mixtures are listed. 1 ${\text{Cu}}^{2+}\text{(aq)}+\text{Ag(s)}$ 2 $\text{Zn(s)}+{\text{Fe}}^{2+}\text{(aq)}$ 3 ${\text{Cu}}^{2+}\text{(aq)}+\text{Mg(s)}$ 4 $\text{Cu(s)}+{\text{Ag}}^{+}\text{(aq)}$ Which mixtures would lead to a reaction?

  Try this question
• Question 28Oct/Nov 2025, paper 23Multiple choice1 markHas a diagram

  Some information about four metals P, Q, R and S is listed. Metal P does not react with dilute hydrochloric acid. Metal Q is more reactive than magnesium.

  Try this question
• Question 27Oct/Nov 2024, paper 23Multiple choice1 mark

  Four iron nails are added to four different metal sulfate solutions. In which solution does a displacement reaction occur?

  Try this question
• Question 5Oct/Nov 2023, paper 32Structured13 marksHas a diagram

  This question is about metals. Table 5.1 shows some properties of some Group I metals. Use the information in Table 5.1 to predict: the boiling point of sodium

  Try this question
• Question 8May/June 2026, paper 33Structured8 marks

  Stainless steel is an alloy of iron. Give one reason why alloys are more useful than pure metals.

  Try this question
• Question 6Oct/Nov 2025, paper 31Structured12 marks

  This question is about metals. Iron is extracted from its ore using carbon (coke) and calcium carbonate in a blast furnace. Give two reasons why carbon is used in a blast furnace.

  Try this question
• Question 6Oct/Nov 2024, paper 31Structured11 marksHas a diagram

  This question is about metals. Metals are good electrical conductors. State three other typical physical properties of metals.

  Try this question
• Question 5Oct/Nov 2023, paper 33Structured13 marksHas a diagram

  This question is about metals. Table 5.1 shows some properties of the Group I metals. Table 5.1 Use the information in Table 5.1 to predict: the melting point of rubidium

  Try this question