Question

Which among the following is the least reactive metal?

• A. Gold
• B. Copper
• C. Mercury
• D. Silver

Hint:

Remember that the most valuable precious metals used in jewelry—Gold, Platinum, and to a lesser extent, Silver—are valuable precisely because they are very unreactive. They do not corrode or tarnish easily, which keeps them looking beautiful. This can help you quickly identify them as being low on the reactivity series.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept
The question asks to identify the least chemically reactive metal from the given list. This refers to the metal's tendency to undergo chemical reactions, such as corrosion or reaction with acids.

Step 2: Using the Metal Reactivity Series
The metal reactivity series is a list of metals arranged in order of their decreasing reactivity. A simplified version of the series, from most to least reactive, looks like this:
Potassium > Sodium > Calcium > Magnesium > Aluminium > Zinc > Iron > Lead > Hydrogen > Copper > Mercury > Silver > Gold > Platinum.
Metals at the top are highly reactive, while those at the bottom are very unreactive.

Step 3: Comparing the Options
Based on the reactivity series, we can order the given metals from most to least reactive:
Copper > Mercury > Silver > Gold
This shows that Gold is the least reactive among the choices. This is why gold is a "noble metal" and does not tarnish or rust.

Step 4: Final Answer
Gold is the least reactive metal on the list. Therefore, option (A) is the correct answer.