Question

I have to decide whether these replacement reactions can happen.

1. K + NaNO3 What do you do when there are multiple elements? None of them are higher up on the activity table than potassium anyway, but in the event that one would be, would that overpower the others lower than Potassium?

Thanks from Narasaq

Answer 1

The activity table is the key.

An element at the top of the table will displace ANY ION of an element below it. So look at the activity table. Where is K? Where is Na? What about the nitrate part? Ignore it. The K and Na are the only parts that can interchange.
[Note: The question is a little confusing BECAUSE this can't be in water solution since K is so active with H2O and it does no good to be in solid form for the elements/ions can't move around. So who knows what the environnment is?]