Reactivity Series

In introductory chemistry, the reactivity series or activity series is an empirical series of metals, in order of "reactivity" from highest to lowest. It is used to summarize information about the reactions of metals with acids and water, single displacement reactions and the extraction of metals from their ores.

Metal	Ion	Reactivity	Extraction
Cs	Cs+	reacts with water	electrolysis
Rb	Rb+
K	K+
Na	Na+
Li	Li+
Ba	Ba2+
Sr	Sr2+
Ca	Ca2+
Mg	Mg2+	reacts with water
Al	Al3+
Ti	Ti4+	reacts with concentrated mineral acids	Pyrometallurgical extraction using magnesium, or less commonly other Alkali Metals, Hydrogen or Calcium in the Kroll Process.
Mn	Mn2+	reacts with acids	smelting with coke
Zn	Zn2+
Cr	Cr2+
Fe	Fe2+
Cd	Cd2+
Co	Co2+
Ni	Ni2+
Sn	Sn2+
Pb	Pb2+
Sb	Sb3+	may react with some strongly oxidizing acids	heat or physical extraction
Bi	Bi3+
Cu	Cu2+
Hg	Hg2+
Ag	Ag+
Au	Au3+
Pt	Pt2+

Going from bottom to top the metals:

• increase in reactivity;
• lose electrons more readily to form positive ions;
• corrode or tarnish more readily;
• require more energy (and different methods) to be separated from their ores;
• become stronger reducing agents.