Relative Reactivities of Metals
Metals that cannot displace H2 from acid.
The coinage metals [Group 1B(11)]ņCu, Ag, and Auņare not
strong enough reducing agents to reduce H+ from acids:
Ag(s) Ag+(aq) + e- -Eo = - 0.80 V
2 H+(aq) + 2 e- H2 (g) Eo = 0.00 V
2 Ag(s) + 2 H+(aq) 2 Ag+(aq) + H2 (g) Eocell = - 0.80 V
If the Eocell is negative, the reaction is not spontaneous.
The higher the metal in the table, the more negative is its Eocell,
The lower its reducing strength, and the less active it is.
Thus, gold is less active than silver, which is less active
than copper.
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