SSC CGL 2022 PYQ — Question 40

The correct answer is option 2 i.e. Zinc

• Zinc is more reactive than copper because it has the ability to displace iron from its salt solution more easily. Zinc has valence electrons and lower ionization energy, which makes it easier to donate electrons and form compounds.
• It also has a higher standard reduction potential, making it more likely for Zinc ions to be reduced and oxidize more easily. Zinc also requires only a single electron to become stable, whereas copper needs two – Zinc’s ease of being oxidized makes it much more reactive than copper in many of its chemical reactions.
• zinc is more reactive than copper. because of its electron configuration. Copper has one electron in its outer shell (1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s1), making it relatively unstable compared to zinc which has two electrons in its outer shell (1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2). Because of this difference in stability, copper will form compounds with other elements much faster than zinc will, making it the most reactive metal