In this I/GCSE Chemistry blog post, we will be looking at the displacement reactions between different elements, let's go!
A More Reactive Metal Displaces a Less Reactive Metal
- More reactive metals react mroe strongly than less reactive metals
- This means that a more reactive metal will displace a less reactive metal from it's oxide because it will bond more strongly to the oxygen
Example: iron would be displaced from iron oxide by the more reactive metal aluminium
Iron oxide + aluminium = almunium oxide + iron
- Metal compounds like copper sulfate, zinc chloride and sodium chloride are metal salts.
- If you put a reactive metal into a solution of a less reactive metal salt the reactive metal will replace the less reactive metal in the salt.
- Example: put an iron nail in a solution of copper sulfate and the more reactive iron will "kick out" the less reactive copper from the salt.
- You end up with iron sulfate solution and copper metal
Copper sulfate + iron = iron sulfate + copper
If a piece of silver metal is put into a solution of copper sulfate, nothing happens. The more reactive metal (copper) is already in the salt.
- You can use displacement reactions to work out where in the reactivity series a metal is supposed to go.
- For example, if you were given a lump of a mystery metal, you could try reacting it with different metal oxides and salts.
- If it reacted with copper oxide you'd know it was higher in the series than copper.
- If it didn't react with magnesium sulfate you'd know it was lower than magnesium in the reactivity series
That's all!
References:
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fbrainstudy.info%2Fimages%2Fthe-chemical-equation-for-oxidation-of-iron&psig=AOvVaw2lagocHt64Et9IpI7eC3QZ&ust=1628741440133000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAsQjRxqFwoTCMCN0uqMqPICFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD
https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DHMqfk3MurYE&psig=AOvVaw0yJLsOcSjEGdVZfsRYHYxW&ust=1628741491005000&source=images&cd=vfe&ved=0CAsQjRxqFwoTCNiWn4eNqPICFQAAAAAdAAAAABAD