Which of the metals listed in the options is the least reactive? 

This question was previously asked in
SSC MTS 2020 (Held On : 20 Oct 2021 Shift 1 ) Official Paper 28
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  1. Gold 
  2. Iron 
  3. Copper 
  4. Magnesium

Answer (Detailed Solution Below)

Option 1 : Gold 
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SSC MTS 2024 Official Paper (Held On: 01 Oct, 2024 Shift 1)
90 Qs. 150 Marks 90 Mins

Detailed Solution

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The correct answer is Gold.

Key Points

  • The least reactive metal is gold. The chemical element gold has the symbol Au and the atomic number 79.
  • It is a bright, somewhat reddish yellow, dense, soft, malleable, and ductile metal in its purest form.
  • Gold is a transition metal and a group 11 element chemically.
  • A Reactivity series is an arrangement of metals in decreasing order of reactivity.
  • In a displacement reaction, this series is used to assess if a given metal can displace another metal. 
  • Based on their reactions with water and dilute acids, the metals potassium, sodium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, and copper can be arranged in decreasing order of reactivity. Iron is more reactive than copper.
  • Because iron has four unpaired shells in its three subshells, while copper only has one, according to the atomic structure. As a result, iron reacts more quickly than copper.

Latest SSC MTS Updates

Last updated on Jun 30, 2025

-> As per the notice published on 30th June 2025, the Staff Selection Commission has announced an extension for the application form correction window. Candidates can now make the required changes in their applications until 1st July 2025.

-> SSC MTS Notification 2025 has been released by the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) on the official website on 26th June, 2025.

-> For SSC MTS Vacancy 2025, a total of 1075 Vacancies have been announced for the post of Havaldar in CBIC and CBN.

-> As per the SSC MTS Notification 2025, the last date to apply online will be 24th July 2025 as per the SSC Exam Calendar 2025-26.

-> The selection of the candidates for the post of SSC MTS is based on Computer Based Examination. 

-> Candidates with basic eligibility criteria of the 10th class were eligible to appear for the examination. 

-> Candidates must attempt the SSC MTS Mock tests and SSC MTS Previous year papers for preparation.

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