Reactivity Series

Reference table of metals ordered by reactivity (most reactive first). Metals higher in the series can displace metals lower in the series from solution.

Dilute Acid = HCl / H₂SO₄ (dilute) | HNO₃ = concentrated nitric acid | Aqua Regia = HCl + HNO₃ (3:1) | Alkali = NaOH / KOH (aqueous) — only amphoteric metals dissolve

Activity Series

Displacement Reaction Checker

Solid Metal

Metal Ion in Solution

#	Symbol	Name	E° (V)	Common Ion	Dilute Acid	HNO₃ (conc)	Aqua Regia	Alkali	E-Waste Relevance
1	Li	Lithium	-3.040	Li+	Vigorous	Vigorous	Vigorous	Slow	Found in lithium-ion batteries; recycled for battery-grade lithium
2	K	Potassium	-2.924	K+	Vigorous	Vigorous	Vigorous	Slow	Rarely targeted in e-waste; present in some electrolytes
3	Ba	Barium	-2.912	Ba2+	Vigorous	Vigorous	Vigorous	No	Used in CRT displays; hazardous waste concern
4	Ca	Calcium	-2.868	Ca2+	Vigorous	Vigorous	Vigorous	No	Minor presence in e-waste; not typically recovered
5	Na	Sodium	-2.714	Na+	Vigorous	Vigorous	Vigorous	Slow	Present in some battery chemistries
6	Mg	Magnesium	-2.372	Mg2+	Vigorous	Vigorous	Vigorous	No	Found in alloy casings (laptops, phones)
7	Al	Aluminium	-1.662	Al3+	Reacts	Slow	Vigorous	Dissolves	Major e-waste metal; heatsinks, casings, frames
8	Mn	Manganese	-1.185	Mn2+	Reacts	Reacts	Vigorous	No	Found in steel alloys and some battery cathodes
9	Zn	Zinc	-0.762	Zn2+	Reacts	Vigorous	Vigorous	Dissolves	Used in galvanized steel, brass connectors
10	Cr	Chromium	-0.744	Cr3+	Slow	Slow	Reacts	No	Found in stainless steel components; hexavalent form is toxic
11	Fe	Iron	-0.447	Fe2+	Reacts	Slow	Vigorous	No	Abundant in e-waste; steel chassis, transformer cores
12	Co	Cobalt	-0.280	Co2+	Slow	Reacts	Vigorous	No	Valuable; found in Li-ion battery cathodes (LCO, NMC)
13	Ni	Nickel	-0.257	Ni2+	Slow	Reacts	Vigorous	No	Connector plating, NiMH batteries, stainless steel
14	Sn	Tin	-0.138	Sn2+	Slow	Reacts	Vigorous	Slow	Solder alloys (Sn-Pb, Sn-Ag-Cu); widely present on PCBs
15	Pb	Lead	-0.126	Pb2+	Slow	Reacts	Vigorous	Slow	Legacy solder, CRT glass; hazardous—regulated disposal
16	H	Hydrogen	+0.000	H+	No	No	No	No	Reference electrode; important in acid leaching processes
17	Cu	Copper	+0.342	Cu2+	No	Reacts	Vigorous	No	High-value; PCB traces, wiring, connectors, motor windings
18	Ag	Silver	+0.799	Ag+	No	Reacts	Vigorous	No	Precious; contacts, solder (SAC), some capacitors, membrane switches
19	Pd	Palladium	+0.951	Pd2+	No	Slow	Vigorous	No	Precious; MLCC capacitors, connector plating, catalytic converters
20	Pt	Platinum	+1.180	Pt2+	No	No	Reacts	No	Precious; thermocouples, hard drive platters, catalytic converters
21	Au	Gold	+1.498	Au3+	No	No	Reacts	No	Precious; connector pins, IC bonding wires, edge connectors

Li — Lithium

E°: -3.040 V

Ion: Li+

Dilute acid: Vigorous HNO₃: Vigorous Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: Slow

Found in lithium-ion batteries; recycled for battery-grade lithium

K — Potassium

E°: -2.924 V

Ion: K+

Dilute acid: Vigorous HNO₃: Vigorous Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: Slow

Rarely targeted in e-waste; present in some electrolytes

Ba — Barium

E°: -2.912 V

Ion: Ba2+

Dilute acid: Vigorous HNO₃: Vigorous Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: No

Used in CRT displays; hazardous waste concern

Ca — Calcium

E°: -2.868 V

Ion: Ca2+

Dilute acid: Vigorous HNO₃: Vigorous Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: No

Minor presence in e-waste; not typically recovered

Na — Sodium

E°: -2.714 V

Ion: Na+

Dilute acid: Vigorous HNO₃: Vigorous Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: Slow

Present in some battery chemistries

Mg — Magnesium

E°: -2.372 V

Ion: Mg2+

Dilute acid: Vigorous HNO₃: Vigorous Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: No

Found in alloy casings (laptops, phones)

Al — Aluminium

E°: -1.662 V

Ion: Al3+

Dilute acid: Reacts HNO₃: Slow Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: Dissolves

Major e-waste metal; heatsinks, casings, frames

Mn — Manganese

E°: -1.185 V

Ion: Mn2+

Dilute acid: Reacts HNO₃: Reacts Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: No

Found in steel alloys and some battery cathodes

Zn — Zinc

E°: -0.762 V

Ion: Zn2+

Dilute acid: Reacts HNO₃: Vigorous Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: Dissolves

Used in galvanized steel, brass connectors

Cr — Chromium

#10

E°: -0.744 V

Ion: Cr3+

Dilute acid: Slow HNO₃: Slow Aqua regia: Reacts Alkali: No

Found in stainless steel components; hexavalent form is toxic

Fe — Iron

#11

E°: -0.447 V

Ion: Fe2+

Dilute acid: Reacts HNO₃: Slow Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: No

Abundant in e-waste; steel chassis, transformer cores

Co — Cobalt

#12

E°: -0.280 V

Ion: Co2+

Dilute acid: Slow HNO₃: Reacts Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: No

Valuable; found in Li-ion battery cathodes (LCO, NMC)

Ni — Nickel

#13

E°: -0.257 V

Ion: Ni2+

Dilute acid: Slow HNO₃: Reacts Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: No

Connector plating, NiMH batteries, stainless steel

Sn — Tin

#14

E°: -0.138 V

Ion: Sn2+

Dilute acid: Slow HNO₃: Reacts Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: Slow

Solder alloys (Sn-Pb, Sn-Ag-Cu); widely present on PCBs

Pb — Lead

#15

E°: -0.126 V

Ion: Pb2+

Dilute acid: Slow HNO₃: Reacts Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: Slow

Legacy solder, CRT glass; hazardous—regulated disposal

H — Hydrogen

#16

E°: +0.000 V

Ion: H+

Dilute acid: No HNO₃: No Aqua regia: No Alkali: No

Reference electrode; important in acid leaching processes

Cu — Copper

#17

E°: +0.342 V

Ion: Cu2+

Dilute acid: No HNO₃: Reacts Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: No

High-value; PCB traces, wiring, connectors, motor windings

Ag — Silver

#18

E°: +0.799 V

Ion: Ag+

Dilute acid: No HNO₃: Reacts Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: No

Precious; contacts, solder (SAC), some capacitors, membrane switches

Pd — Palladium

#19

E°: +0.951 V

Ion: Pd2+

Dilute acid: No HNO₃: Slow Aqua regia: Vigorous Alkali: No

Precious; MLCC capacitors, connector plating, catalytic converters

Pt — Platinum

#20

E°: +1.180 V

Ion: Pt2+

Dilute acid: No HNO₃: No Aqua regia: Reacts Alkali: No

Precious; thermocouples, hard drive platters, catalytic converters

Au — Gold

#21

E°: +1.498 V

Ion: Au3+

Dilute acid: No HNO₃: No Aqua regia: Reacts Alkali: No

Precious; connector pins, IC bonding wires, edge connectors

Reactivity Series

Activity Series

Reconnecting