Lesson 4 of 6
Displacement reactions
Goal: Predict displacement reactions.
A more reactive metal takes the place of a less reactive metal in a compound. This is a displacement reaction.
iron + copper sulfate → iron sulfate + copper
- You can see it happen. Brown copper coats the nail. The blue solution fades to pale green as iron sulfate forms.
- It only works one way. Copper is less reactive than iron, so copper in iron sulfate solution does nothing.
- Metal oxides can be displaced too. aluminium + iron oxide → aluminium oxide + iron. This reaction gets hot enough to melt the iron.
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Key words in this lesson
Oxide A compound of an element with oxygen
Displacement A more reactive metal takes the place of a less reactive one in a compound