The most reactive metals are located in which area of the periodic table

The most reactive metals in the periodic tables are the alkali metals, followed by the alkaline earth metals.

Explanation:

Because of the alkali metals' electron configuration (wants to give its one electron to another substance), they're highly reactive. For example, any of the alkalis and fluorine, which is very electronegative and wants 1 more electron, would be very dangerous because it would complete its octet.

There is never enough francium with which to experiment because its isotopes have a very short half-life (the longest is about 22 min), and there is only about 20-30 grams in the earth's crust at any given time. http://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele087.html

Cesium is present in large enough amounts to be studied, and experimentally it is the most reactive metal.

Sodium is one of the most reactive metals that reacts vigorously with water to release heat and produce hydrogen gas. The reaction releases so much energy that the hydrogen gas ignites. Click to see a video of sodium reacting in water. It is unlikely that you will find pure sodium in nature. Iron is reactive but not as reactive as sodium.

The table on the right shows the different metals in order of reactivity with the most reactive on top.

Click on the names of the metals to see where they appear on the periodic table below.

Gold been the least reactive of the metals shown can be found in its elemental form in nature.

The most reactive metals are found on the left of the periodic table, in the blue column, known as the alkali metals. Their reactivity increases as we go down column (group) one, shown in blue. Click to see how the reactivity of group one metals increases down a group.

The red column is also composed of reactive metals known as alkaline earth metals and their reactivity also increases as we move down the column.

Reactive metals, such as magnesium, are widely used in rust prevention and are known as sacrificial anodes. Iron will rust unless protected in some way. Reactive metals, when attached to less reactive metals, have the ability to prevent the less reactive metal from rusting.

Pictured on the right is a magnesium anode that is connected to the iron propeller of small boats. The magnesium metal protects the iron propeller from rusting. This however accelerates the rusting of the magnesium anode and it must be replaced periodically in order to keep the propeller rust free.

What metals are not very reactive? (think of what metals are found in pure form in nature)

Copper, silver and gold are metals that are found in the periodic table in the same column. Does their reactivity increase as we move down the column?

The most reactive metal on the periodic table is francium. Francium, however, is a laboratory-produced element and only minute quantities have been made, so for all practical purposes, the most reactive metal is cesium. Cesium reacts explosively with water, though it is predicted francium would react even more vigorously.

Using the Metal Activity Series

You can use the metal activity series to predict which metal will be the most reactive and to compare the reactivity of different metals. The activity series is a chart that lists elements according to how readily the metals displace H2 in reactions.

If you don't have the chart of the activity series handy, you can also use trends in the periodic table to predict the reactivity of a metal or nonmetal. The most reactive metals belong to the alkali metals element group. Reactivity increases as you move down the alkali metals group.

The increase in reactivity correlates to a decrease in electronegativity (increase in electropositivity.) So, just by looking at the periodic table, you can predict lithium will be less reactive than sodium, and francium will be more reactive than cesium and all of the other elements listed above it in the element group.

What Determines Reactivity?

Reactivity is a measure of how likely a chemical species is to participate in a chemical reaction to form chemical bonds. An element that is highly electronegative, such as fluorine, has an extremely high attraction for bonding electrons.

Elements at the opposite end of the spectrum, such as highly reactive metals cesium and francium, readily form bonds with electronegative atoms. As you move down a column or group of the periodic table, the size of the atomic radius increases.

For the metals, this means the outermost electrons becomes farther away from the positively-charged nucleus. These electrons are easier to remove, so the atoms readily form chemical bonds. In other words, as you increase the size of atoms of metals in a group, their reactivity also increases.

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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Most Reactive Metal on the Periodic Table." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/most-reactive-metal-on-the-periodic-table-608801 (accessed December 25, 2022).

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