Unit


9

Displacement
reactions

Gold survives for thousands of years.

Why doesn't it rust?

Fig. 1 This gold cup is almost 4000years

old. An iron cup this old would be very
damaged by rust.

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Getting started
Which elements are in each of these compounds?
1. copper sulfide

2. copper sulfate

3. carbon dioxide

4. iron oxide

5. calcium carbonate 
Reactive
How easily
a substance
undergoes
a chemical
reaction with
others.

Which of these metals is most reactive with water?

Put a tick in the correct box.
sodium

magnesium

potassium

copper

Fig. 2 Reactions with water can damage things and cost us money.

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 Learning Outcomes
Concepts
In completing this unit you will learn to:
Explain one useful application of
displacement reactions (M6)
Key Terms
The meanings of these terms can be found
in the glossary on pages 27590.
charcoal
displacement reaction
ore
reactive
reactivity series
I know what
these words
mean

Investigating Scientifically
S11
Success Criteria
Learning outcome M6
Here is what you might aim to achieve by
the end of this unit:
Emerging state whether or not
given reactants would undergo a
displacement reaction
Developing construct word
equations for displacement reactions
Mastery explain one useful
application of displacement reactions

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1 Magnesium + copper sulfate

M6

Look at this chemical equation:

magnesium + copper sulfate magnesium sulfate + copper
Equipment:
Test tube,
test tube rack,
small length of
magnesium,
copper sulfate
solution

Activity 1.1
What to do:
1. Put two centimeters depth of copper sulfate solution into
the test tube.
2. Add a small piece of magnesium ribbon.
3. Leave the test tube. What do you observe?

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What is in your test tube at the end of the experiment?



Look at the equation again:
magnesium + copper sulfate

magnesium sulfate + copper

metals

metal compounds

On both sides of the equation there is a metal and a metal

compound. The reaction happens because magnesium is
more reactive than copper.
When you mix a metal with a metal compound there will
be a reaction if the metal is more reactive than the metal
already in the compound. This is called a displacement
reaction.
In normal English, to displace means to move something
away from where it is. In a displacement reaction, the reactive
metal moves the less reactive element out of the compound
and takes its place.
A + BC

B + AC

If you put copper in a magnesium sulfate solution, it wont

react. From the information in this section, explain why not.



Displacement
reaction
This happens
when a more
reactive metal
reacts with the
compound of
a less reactive
metal. The
products of
the reaction
are a new
metal
compound
and a metal.

2 Reactivity series

M6
S11

We can predict whether a metal and a metal

compound will react by comparing the reactivity
of the metal and the metal in the metal compound.
Knowing the order of reactivity of the metals helps us make
predictions. This means that we need to understand the
reactivity series.

Reactivity
series
A list of
the metal
elements
in order of
reactivity.

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potassium

More reactive

sodium
calcium
magnesium
aluminium
carbon*
zinc
iron
tin
lead
copper
silver
gold

Less reactive

potassium

Fig. 3 This list of

metals shows the
reactivity series.

*carbon
is not a metal, but it is often included in the reactivity
sodium
series. It is involved in some important displacement
reactions.
calcium

Wemagnesium
can use the reactivity series to decide whether or not there
will be a reaction.
aluminium

carbon* 1
Example
Will there
be a reaction between copper sulfate and tin?
zinc
iron
tin
lead

Fig. 4
The reactivity series
shows that tin is
more reactive than
copper.

copper
silver
gold

Tin is more reactive than copper, so the tin will displace the
copper in the copper sulfate:
tin + copper sulfate tin sulfate + copper

182
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sodium
calcium
magnesium
aluminium

Example
carbon* 2
Will there be a reaction between iron carbonate and lead?
zinc
iron
tin
lead

Fig. 5
The reactivity series
shows that lead is
less reactive than
iron.

copper
silver
gold

Lead is less reactive than iron, so the lead will not displace the
iron. There will not be a reaction.
For each equation below, decide whether there will be a
reaction. If there is, complete the equation. If there is not,
write no reaction.
magnesium + copper sulfate
copper + magnesium sulfate
iron + copper sulfate
iron + sodium chloride
zinc + silver nitrate
copper + potassium sulfate
gold + potassium nitrate

3 Uses of copper
Copper is a familiar metal. Among other uses, we
use it in electrical wiring and electronics.

M6

Fig. 6
Copper is used in
electrical wiring (left);
copper is used in
circuit boards (right).

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Copper is also used in buildings, especially for covering roofs.

Fig. 7
The older copper
has turned green. It
has reacted with the
atmosphere to form
copper carbonate.
This protects the
copper beneath. The
newer copper is still
red-brown.

Copper has been used by people for around 7000 years.

Fig. 8
Here are some
ancient copper tools.
The green color
is due to copper
carbonate.

Ore
An ore is a
rock that
contains a
metal oxide
we can
extract the
metal from
the ore.

Sometimes we find copper as a metal in the ground. But

more often, we find copper as an ore. Thousands of years ago
people discovered how to extract copper from copper oxide.

Fig. 9
This copper metal
was found in the
ground.

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There are several ores of copper. Cuprite is one of the ores

ofcopper.

Fig. 10
Cuprite. This ore
contains copper
oxide.

What two elements are in copper oxide?


We can extract copper from copper oxide by heating it with
carbon. Look at the reactivity series in Fig. 3 on page 182 to
check that this is a possible displacement reaction.
The equation is:
carbon + copper oxide copper + carbon monoxide
Early humans used charcoal as a source of carbon.

Charcoal
Blackened
wood that
has been
burned in
a fire. It is
often used for
barbecues.

Fig. 11
Charcoal looks
likethis.

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4 Presentation Task
Research and explain a use of displacement reactions. You can choose one
ofthese:
extraction of a metal from its ore
thermite reaction
sacrificial anodes on boats
galvanization.
Present your findings as a web page or PowerPoint presentation.

5 Feedback

Medals and Missions

Self Assessment
Shade in the level you have achieved for each outcome in this unit.
Concept Learning
Outcome

M6
Skill Learning
Outcome

S11

Emerging

Developing

Mastery

State whether or not

given reactants would
undergo a displacement
reaction.

Construct word
equations for
displacement reactions.

Explain one useful

application of
displacement reactions.

Emerging

Developing

Mastery

Draw a conclusion,
related to the scientific
question or prediction.

Draw a conclusion,
consistent with the data,
and explain it using
scientific knowledge and
understanding.

Draw a conclusion.

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Medals
What have been your greatest achievements during this unit? For example,
mastering a concept outcome, improving a skill or feeling proud of your
organizational abilities, team work or presentation.
What did you do well?

How did you do it?

1.

2.

3.

Missions
What are your targets for improvement? Select two Learning Outcomes to focus
on and set yourself a target. For example, if you have reached developing, what
do you need to do next time to achieve mastery?
Learning Outcomes

Target

1.

2.

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6 Science I have learned in this unit

A metal reacts with a metal compound if the metal is more

reactive than the metal in the compound.

The type of reaction described above is called a displacement

reaction.
The reactivity series lists the metals in order of reactivity.
We can use the reactivity series to decide whether a displacement

reaction will happen.

Displacement reactions have practical uses, including extraction

of metals from ores.

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