Displacement reactions

Question 1

What is the displacement rule?

Answer 1

A more reactive metal will displace a less reactive metal from an aqueous solution of one of its salts.

Question 2

Give an example of a displacement reaction?

Answer 2

Magnesium is more reactive than copper. Therefore the copper ions will be displaced from solution to form a copper metal. In this reaction, the magnesium metal forms an aqueous magnesium ions, and dissolves into the solution. This is a displacement reaction.

Question 3

What is an ionic equation?

Answer 3

Shows only the atoms and ions that change in a reaction.

Question 4

Hydrogen and carbon in the reactivity series?

Answer 4

We can include the non-metals hydrogen and carbon in the reactivity series using displacement reactions. Copper cant displace the hydrogen from an acid, whereas lead can. So using the reactivity series, hydrogen must be positioned between copper and lead. Carbon can be used in the extraction of metals from their oxides. However it can only do this for metals used below aluminum in the reactivity series. Carbon is not reactive enough to displace aluminum from aluminum oxide but it can displace zinc from zinc oxide. So carbon is placed between aluminum and zinc in he series.

Question 5

What is oxidation?

Answer 5

Is the loss of electrons.

Question 6

What is reduction?

Answer 6

The gain of electrons.