In nature, metal A is found in a free state while metal B is found in the form of its compounds. Which of these two will be nearer to the top of the activity series of metals?

To determine which metal, A or B, is nearer to the top of the activity series of metals, we can follow these steps:

Step 1: Understand the Activity Series
The activity series is a list of metals arranged in order of decreasing reactivity. The most reactive metals are at the top, while the least reactive metals are at the bottom.

Step 2: Analyze Metal A
Metal A is found in a free state. This indicates that it is not very reactive. Metals that are found in their elemental form (free state) typically have low reactivity because they do not readily react with other substances.

Step 3: Analyze Metal B
Metal B is found in the form of its compounds. This suggests that it is more reactive than metal A because it has reacted with other elements or compounds to form these compounds. Reactive metals tend to exist in nature primarily as compounds rather than in their free state.

Step 4: Compare the Reactivity
Since metal A is found in a free state (indicating low reactivity) and metal B is found in the form of compounds (indicating higher reactivity), we can conclude that metal B is more reactive than metal A.

Step 5: Determine Position in the Activity Series
Given that metal B is more reactive, it will be positioned nearer to the top of the activity series, while metal A will be lower down in the series.

Conclusion
Therefore, metal B will be nearer to the top of the activity series of metals.

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