activity series
Chemistry
noun
A list of chemical elements (especially metals) arranged in order of reactivity; specifically = electrochemical series.
- Reactivity may be measured in various ways, such as by ability to react with water and acids, or to displace ions of another element in solution, or by standard electrode potential (as in the electrochemical series). Although lists determined by different methods are broadly the same, there are some notable differences (e.g. in the relative positions of potassium and lithium)..
Origin
Early 20th century.