Question

How is the activity series of metals used to determine whether or not a single replacement reaction will occur?

Answer 1

The reactivity series is a series of metals in the order of reactivity from highest to lowest. It is primarily used to determine the products of single displacement reactions. It is the series listed in the descending order of the reactivities.

Complete answer:
Let us study about the single displacement reactions and its dependence on the reactivity series of metals in detail;
Single displacement reaction-
This is the reaction which occurs when a metal which is higher on the reactivity series is replacing the one which is lower on the same.
Activity/reactivity series-
In order to determine the reactivities of the metals in nature, reactivity series is helpful. It is listed in descending order which shows that the metal which is higher can only replace the metals below it and not above it.
To describe the dependence, we can take an example as;
A metal (X) and a metal compound (YZ) may react so that the metal (X) will replace the metal (Y) in the compound. This will produce the replaced metal (Y) and a new compound (XZ). This can be easily shown by the following reaction;
$X+YZ\to Y+XZ$
where. X and Y are the metals and Z is the ion.

Note:
The reactivity of metals is due to the difference in stability of their electronic configurations in their atomic and ionic states.
The general reactivity series (for some metals) can be described as;
$K$ > $Na$ > $Ca$ > $Mg$ > $Al$ > $C$ > $Zn$ > $Fe$ > $Sn$ > $Pb$ > $H$ > $Cu$ > $Ag$ > $Au$ > $Pt$