Single displacement reaction
Single displacement reaction
Part a- Reactivity series of metals
(Metal displacing metal)
The reactivity series of METALS
• Not every single-replacement reaction will
happen.
• For example Cu + FeSO4 → no reaction
But a reaction like
Mg +FeSO4 → MgSO4 + Fe occurs
So how to decide will reaction will occur and
which will not ??
• A reaction occurs if the element on the reactant
side is more “active” than the one it could
replace.
• Scientists have listed the order of activity of
metals in THE REACTIVITY SERIES.
When does displacement happen?
The reactivity series can be used to predict if a metal will
react with a metal compound (e.g. chloride, nitrate or sulfate).
⚫ If the metal is more reactive than the metal in the compound,
it competes with the less reactive metal.
more reactive less reactive more reactive less reactive
metal + metal → metal + metal
compound compound
The more reactive metal pushes out, or displaces, the less
reactive metal from its compound.
⚫ If the metal is less reactive than the metal in the compound,
it will not compete and so there is no reaction.
less reactive
metal + moremetal
reactive
→ no reaction
compound
Single Displacement reactions – examples
⚫ Will magnesium react with copper chloride?
magnesium + copper → magnesium + copper
chloride chloride
Magnesium is a more reactive metal than copper, so
magnesium displaces the copper from its compound.
⚫ Will silver react with magnesium chloride?
silver + magnesium → no reaction
chloride
Silver is a less reactive metal than magnesium, so silver
does not displace the magnesium from its compound.
Displacement of sulfates – magnesium
Does magnesium react with and displace these metal sulfates
and if so what products are formed?
✓ magnesium + copper
sulfate
→ magnesium +
sulfate
copper
Mg + CuSO4 → MgSO4 + Cu
✓ magnesium + zinc
sulfate
→ magnesium +
sulfate
zinc
Mg + ZnSO4 → MgSO4 + Zn
✓ magnesium + iron
sulfate
→ magnesium +
sulfate
iron
Mg + FeSO4 → MgSO4 + Fe
Displacement of sulfates – zinc
Does zinc react with and displace these metal sulfates
and if so what products are formed?
zinc + magnesium → no reaction
sulfate
✓ zinc + iron
sulfate
→ zinc
sulfate
+ iron
Zn + FeSO4 → ZnSO4 + Fe
✓ zinc + copper
sulfate
→ zinc
sulfate
+ copper
Zn + CuSO4 → ZnSO4 + Cu
Displacement of sulfates – iron
Does iron react with and displace these metal sulfates
and if so what products are formed?
iron + magnesium → no reaction
sulfate
iron + zinc
sulfate
→ no reaction
✓ iron + copper
sulfate
→ iron
sulfate
+ copper
Fe + CuSO4 → FeSO4 + Cu
Displacement of sulfates – copper
Does copper react with and displace these metal sulfates
and if so what products are formed?
copper + magnesium → no reaction
sulfate
copper + zinc
sulfate
→ no reaction
copper + copper
sulfate
→ no reaction
Displacement of sulfates – predictions
Use the reactivity series to predict if there is a reaction when
these metals are added to different metal sulfate solutions.
metal sulfate magnesium zinc iron copper
solution sulfate sulfate sulfate sulfate
metal
magnesium
✓ ✓ ✓
zinc
✓ ✓
iron
✓
copper
✓ = displacement reaction
= no reaction
Complete and balance
1. Ag + KNO3 →
2. Zn + AgNO3 →
3. Cu + FeSO4 →
4. Fe + Pb(NO3)2 →
5. Al + KNO3→
Single displacement reaction
Part b- Halogen with metal halides
(Non Metal displacing non Metal )
Single Displacement reaction - halogens
If a halogen is added to a solution of a compound containing
a less reactive halogen, it will react with the compound and
form a new one.
sodium sodium
fluorine + → + chlorine
chloride fluoride
F2 (aq) + 2NaCl (aq) → 2NaF (aq) + Cl2 (aq)
A more reactive halogen
will always displace a less
reactive halide from its
compounds in solution.
Single displacement - halogens react with halides
1. When chlorine water (a solution of chlorine) is added to a
solution of potassium bromide, bromine has been pushed out of
its compound, or displaced as it is less reactive than chlorine
Cl2 (aq) + 2KBr (aq) → 2KCl (aq) + Br2 (aq)
2. When chlorine water is added to a solution of potassium iodide,
iodine gets displaced as it is less reactive than chlorine
Cl2 (aq) + 2KI (aq) → 2KCl (aq) + I2 (aq)
3. When bromine water is added to a solution of potassium iodide,
iodine gets displaced as it is less reactive than bromine
Br2 (aq) + 2KI (aq) → 2KBr (aq) + I2 (aq)
.
Single displacement reaction
Part c- Metal with acids
Single displacement reaction - Metals and acid
When a metal reacts with acid, the products are a metal salt
and hydrogen.
metal acid metal H2
salt
hydrochloric calcium
calcium + → + hydrogen
acid chloride
Ca + 2HCl → CaCl2 + H2
Remember – Metal above hydrogen in reactivity series ,
displaces hydrogen from the acid
Metals and hydrochloric acid – equations
What is made when each metal reacts with hydrochloric acid?
What is the balanced symbol equation for each reaction?
magnesium + hydrochloric → magnesium + hydrogen
acid chloride
Mg + 2HCl → MgCl2 + H2
aluminium + hydrochloric → aluminium + hydrogen
acid chloride
2Al + 6HCl → 2AlCl3 + 3H2
zinc + hydrochloric → zinc + hydrogen
acid chloride
Zn + 2HCl → ZnCl2 + H2
Metals and sulfuric acid – equations
What is made when each metal reacts with sulfuric acid?
What is the balanced symbol equation for each reaction?
magnesium + sulfuric → magnesium + hydrogen
acid sulfate
Mg + H2SO4 → MgSO4 + H2
aluminium + sulfuric → aluminium + hydrogen
acid sulfate
2Al + 3H2SO4 → Al2(SO4)3 + 3H2
zinc + sulfuric → zinc + hydrogen
acid sulfate
Zn + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + H2
Metals and nitric acid – equations
What is made when each metal reacts with nitric acid?
What is the balanced symbol equation for each reaction?
magnesium + nitric acid → magnesium + hydrogen
nitrate
Mg + 2HNO3 → Mg(NO3)2 + H2
aluminium + nitric acid → aluminium + hydrogen
nitrate
2Al + 6HNO3 → 2Al(NO3)3 + 3H2
zinc + nitric acid → zinc nitrate + hydrogen
Zn + 2HNO3 → Zn(NO3)2 + H2
Glossary
displaced metal – The metal that is pushed out of a
compound by a more reactive metal.
displacement – A reaction in which a more reactive
metal replaces a less reactive metal in a compound.
reactive – A substance that reacts quickly or easily.
reactivity – How quickly or easily a substance will react.
reactivity series – The list of metals placed in order of
their reactivity starting with the most reactive.
unreactive – A substance that reacts very slowly or
does not react at all.
