Why is hydrogen included in the metal activity series?

Although it is nonmetallic, hydrogen atoms do have some characteristics which make them behave like alkali metals in some chemical reactions.

Hydrogen has only 1 electron in its ##1s## orbital, so its electronic structure closely resembles that of the other alkali metals, which have a single valence electron in a ##2s, 3s, 4s…## orbital.

You might argue that hydrogen is missing only one electron from having a complete valence shell, and that it should be listed in Group VII with the halogen atoms (F, Cl, Br, etc.). This would be valid, too.

However, halogens are extremely electronegative, with F leading the way, and H is not very electronegative, so its chemical properties more closely resemble the alkali metals than the halogens, even though it does not form a true metal (except perhaps at extremely high pressures).

That’s why the element hydrogen occupies a place in Group I rather than Group VII in of .

The video below summarizes an experiment to compare the activity of three metals; zinc, copper and magnesium. Any metal which react with acid (HCl in the video) are placed higher than hydrogen on the activity series, and the metals which do not react with acids would be placed below hydrogen on the series.

video from:Noel Pauller

Hope this helps!

Show more







Calculate Your Essay Price
(550 words)

Approximate price: $22

Calculate the price of your order

550 words
We'll send you the first draft for approval by September 11, 2018 at 10:52 AM
Total price:
$26
The price is based on these factors:
Academic level
Number of pages
Urgency
Basic features
  • Free title page and bibliography
  • Unlimited revisions
  • Plagiarism-free guarantee
  • Money-back guarantee
  • 24/7 support
On-demand options
  • Writer’s samples
  • Part-by-part delivery
  • Overnight delivery
  • Copies of used sources
  • Expert Proofreading
Paper format
  • 275 words per page
  • 12 pt Arial/Times New Roman
  • Double line spacing
  • Any citation style (APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, Harvard)

Our guarantees

Delivering a high-quality product at a reasonable price is not enough anymore.
That’s why we have developed 5 beneficial guarantees that will make your experience with our service enjoyable, easy, and safe.

Money-back guarantee

You have to be 100% sure of the quality of your product to give a money-back guarantee. This describes us perfectly. Make sure that this guarantee is totally transparent.

Read more

Zero-plagiarism guarantee

Each paper is composed from scratch, according to your instructions. It is then checked by our plagiarism-detection software. There is no gap where plagiarism could squeeze in.

Read more

Free-revision policy

Thanks to our free revisions, there is no way for you to be unsatisfied. We will work on your paper until you are completely happy with the result.

Read more

Privacy policy

Your email is safe, as we store it according to international data protection rules. Your bank details are secure, as we use only reliable payment systems.

Read more

Fair-cooperation guarantee

By sending us your money, you buy the service we provide. Check out our terms and conditions if you prefer business talks to be laid out in official language.

Read more

Order your essay today and save 10% with the coupon code: best10