wiki Word: reactivity

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the quality or condition of being reactive; relative capacity of an atom, molecule, or radical to undergo a chemical reaction with another atom, molecule, or compound 

reactivity- the quality or condition of being reactive; relative capacity of an atom, molecule, or radical to undergo a chemical reaction with another atom, molecule, or compound

HOW IN THE WORLD AM I SUPPOSED TO UNDERSTAND, OR EVEN REMEMBER, THAT?!

Well, actually, I have, QUITE a few tips (otherwise known as LINCing phrases and words) to help you remember this PERFECTLY!

SENSITIVITY

a word that rhymes with

REACTIVITY

If you think about it, if something is sensitive, it will react quite well to many things. If a young girl was sensitive, and you called her a name, she would react to that name in some manner, whether negatively or positively. Sometimes, this reaction will cause a new formation (if a fight erupts and someone gets mangled) or may just cause someone to lose or gain something (someone will lose their mind and the other will gain a whole lot of information on why not to mess with that person again.) This is just a funny way to think about reactivity, and ways things are reactive!

FACTS!

The most reactive elements on the periodic table are the alkali metals, found in Group 1

The least reactive elements on the periodic tables are the noble gases, found in Group 18.

Reactivity happens in elements in many ways. They may react even when they touch something like water, or even air!

  TRIVIA TIME!     

From each pair of pictures, which is having a reaction (is reactive)?

(scroll to the end of the bibliography section for answers)

Reactivity is something that has been studied a lot in our 5th Period class lately. The reason for this is that elements, which we have been studying for the past 7 or 8 weeks now (as of March 28, 2008), have reactivity levels based on how reactive they are to other substances, elements, or compounds. Most elements that we studied in our class that had high reactivity were the elements found in the alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal group. These elements all had 1 or 2 valance electrons. My theory on why these elements are so reactive is because they have to either share or lose their electrons. So therefore, they will react with other elements. This also would explain why the Group 18 noble gases are not reactive, because they have a full set of valance electrons and won't react with any other elements.

You need to understand this word to be sucessful in science for MANY reasons. One of these many reasons is that, say, you were going to do experiments on pure sodium. You would have to know what it reacts to, for safety reasons, because if you took a sodium out into open air, the element will start to explode and you most likely will not have hands anymore! Also, it helps place all the elements in the correct groups according to properties, such as reactivity.

"Reactivity." Wikipedia. 14 Mar 2008. Wikipedia. 18 Mar 2008

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactivity>.

Pictures found-

Dry Ice Eruption found at http://www.dkimages.com/discover/Home/Technology/Tools-Machines-Instruments/Scientific-Instruments/Scientific-Instruments-131.html

Banana found at http://survivalofthesickestthebook.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/04/banana.jpg

Cat found at http://wvs.topleftpixel.com/photos/2006/03/cat_trig_002.jpg

ANSWERS!!

1) 1st Picture

2) 2nd Picture