What Causes An Element To Be Reactive?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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The number of electrons in the outermost shell of an atom

determines its reactivity. Noble gases have low reactivity because they have full electron shells

What makes elements more reactive than others?

An element’s reactivity depends on

how its electrons are arranged

. Electrons orbit the atom’s nucleus in layers called shells, with each shell holding up to a certain number of electrons. If an atom’s outermost shell is full, it is less inclined to shed or gain an electron from another atom, making it very stable.

What does it mean for an element to be reactive?

In chemistry, reactivity is the impetus for

which a chemical substance undergoes a chemical reaction

, either by itself or with other materials, with an overall release of energy.

How is an element more reactive?

An element’s reactivity is

its tendency to lose or gain electrons

. … This trend occurs because each element, as you move down, has more inner electrons that shield the one valence electron from the nuclear charge making it less attracted. The Alkaline Earth Metals (Group 2) are the next most reactive of the metals.

How can you explain the reactivity of elements?

Reactivity is a

measure of how easily an element will combine with other elements to form compounds

. Some elements are unreactive and need energy putting in others will react spontaneously and easily. Reactivity is a measure of how easily an element will combine with other elements to form compounds.

Which element mentioned above is highly reactive?

Reactivity of Group 1 Elements


Hydrogen

is a very reactive gas, and the alkali metals are even more reactive. In fact, they are the most reactive metals and, along with the elements in group 17, are the most reactive of all elements.

What is the least reactive element?


Noble gases

are the least reactive of all known elements. That’s because with eight valence electrons, their outer energy levels are full. The only exception is helium, which has just two electrons.

Does more electrons mean more reactive?


The larger an atom is, the more reactive it will be

. It helps to think about the size of an atom with the location of the electrons and nucleus in mind. … If electrons can leave more easily, then the atom is more likely to react.

Why is Mg more reactive than Zn?

This shows

magnesium is more reactive than zinc

and both metals are more reactive than hydrogen. … The further apart the two metals appear, the more vigorous the reaction. Adding a metal like copper to zinc ions will not displace the zinc since copper appears lower than zinc on the table.

Does more valence electrons mean more reactive?

An atom with

one or two valence electrons more than a closed shell is highly reactive

, because the extra valence electrons are easily removed to form a positive ion.

Is CU reactive?

Element Reaction with dilute acids Copper Very slowly Silver Barely reacts Gold Does not react

Which metal is more reactive?

The ionization enthalpy of

potassium

is minimum. It is the most electropositive and most reactive metal. It reacts with air as well as water vigorously. The reactions are highly exothermic and hence, the hydrogen gas evolved as byproduct catches fire.

Which is the most reactive element among the following?


Fluorine

is the most reactive element among the given elements.

What are examples of reactivity?

Reactivity is the ability of matter to combine chemically with other substances. For example,

iron is highly reactive with oxygen

. When it combines with oxygen, it forms the reddish powder called rust (see Figure below). Rust is not iron but an entirely different substance that consists of both iron and oxygen.

What do you mean by reactivity?

noun.

the quality or condition of being reactive

. Chemistry. the relative capacity of an atom, molecule, or radical to undergo a chemical reaction with another atom, molecule, or compound.

What is another word for reactivity?

  • awareness.
  • feeling.
  • nervousness.
  • sense.
  • subtlety.
  • sympathy.
  • consciousness.
  • susceptibility.
Ahmed Ali
Author
Ahmed Ali
Ahmed Ali is a financial analyst with over 15 years of experience in the finance industry. He has worked for major banks and investment firms, and has a wealth of knowledge on investing, real estate, and tax planning. Ahmed is also an advocate for financial literacy and education.