Displacement Reaction
Displacement reactions are a type of chemical reaction where one element replaces another in a compound. It is primarily seen with metals, which can vary in activity levels.
In practical terms, consider the reaction involving an iron nail placed in a copper sulfate solution. The iron displaces copper, resulting in a color change in the solution and the deposition of copper. The chemical equation representing this reaction is:
Fe(s) + CuSO₄(aq) → FeSO₄(aq) + Cu(s)
This illustrates how reactive metals can replace less reactive ones, with the more reactive metal (iron) displacing the less reactive metal (copper) from the compound. Other examples include zinc displacing copper from its sulfate solution and lead displacing copper from its chloride solution. The key idea is that reactivity determines the ability to displace.
Overall, understanding displacement reactions gives insights into the reactivity series of metals, which is crucial for predicting the outcomes of various chemical processes.