Displacement Reaction

1. Key points
 The word displace means to push out.
 A more reactive element can displace a less reactive element out of its
compound during a chemical reaction.
 Displacement reactions can be used to investigate the reactivity of metals
The displacement reactions of metals
A chemical is described as being reactive if it takes part easily and quickly in chemical
reactions.
Some metals are more reactive than others. Metals can be arranged in order of their
reactivity. This is called a reactivity series.
Unreactive metals take part more slowly in chemical reactions or don’t react at all.
Displacement reactions involve a metal and the compound of a different metal. A
more reactive metal will displace or push out a less reactive metal from its compound
in a displacement reaction. The less reactive metal is left uncombined after the
reaction. It is no longer chemically bonded to any other elements. It is now a pure
element.
Example
Magnesium is more reactive than copper. When a piece of magnesium is dipped into
blue copper sulfate solution, a displacement reaction occurs.
The magnesium displaces the copper, and the products are copper and a solution of
magnesium sulfate.
This is the word equation:
magnesium + copper sulfate → copper + magnesium sulfate
This is the symbol equation:
Mg(s) + CuSO₄(aq) → Cu(s) + MgSO₄(aq)
This reaction cannot happen in reverse. Copper cannot displace magnesium from a
compound because copper is less reactive than magnesium.

2. Reactivity Series of Metals: