The Reactivity Series
Displacement Reaction
If you place a clean iron nail in a beaker containing copper sulfate
solution, there is an interesting reaction.
The blue copper sulfate solution changes to a slightly paler colour. The
most remarkable thing that happens is that the nail looks a different
colour. It has become copper coloured. What has happened in this
reaction?
The word and symbol equations for this reaction are:
Copper sulfate + Iron = iron sulfate = copper
CuSO4 + Fe = FeSO4 + Cu
The iron nail has become coated with copper. Iron is more reactive than
copper in that it has ‘pushed out’ from the sulfate and has reacted to
form iron sulfate. This ‘pushing out’ is called displacement, so this type
of reaction is called a displacement reaction. A more reactive metal can
replace a less reactive one in a salt.
If a copper nail was placed in a solution of iron sulfate there would be no
reaction because copper is less reactive than iron. Copper cannot
displace the iron in the iron sulfate.
The Reactivity Series
In stage 8, you learn that some metals are more reactive than others, by looking at the
reaction of the metal with oxygen water(or steam) and dilute acid. Some metals are more
reactive than others. You can use the results of all the investigations to place the metals in
order of [Link] list is called the reactivity series. It has the most reactive metals at the
top and the
least reactive metals at the bottom.
What Is a Displacement Reaction?
A displacement reaction is a type of chemical reaction where a more reactive element
takes the place of a less reactive element in a compound.
This usually happens between:
● Metals and metal compounds
● Halogens (Group 7 elements)
Single Displacement (Metal Displacement)
This is when a more reactive metal replaces a less reactive metal from a solution of its
salt.
General Formula:
A + BC → AC + B
Where:
● A is a more reactive metal
● BC is a compound of a less reactive metal
● B gets displaced
Example:
Iron + Copper sulfate → Iron sulfate + Copper
Fe + CuSO₄ → FeSO₄ + Cu
In this reaction:
● Iron (Fe) is more reactive than copper (Cu)
● Iron displaces copper from its salt
The Reactivity Series
This is a list of metals arranged by their reactivity, from most to least reactive:
Potassium > Sodium > Calcium > Magnesium > Aluminium > Zinc > Iron > Lead >
Copper > Silver > Gold
● Metals higher in the series can displace those below.
● Copper, silver, and gold are often unreactive, so they’re easily displaced.
Signs of a Displacement Reaction
When one occurs, you might see:
● Color change (like blue CuSO₄ solution turning colorless)
● Gas bubbles (in some reactions)
● Temperature change
● A solid forming (precipitate)
Displacement of Halogens
Halogens (like chlorine, bromine, iodine) can also displace less reactive halogens from salt
solutions.
Example:
Chlorine + Potassium bromide → Potassium chloride + Bromine
Cl₂ + 2KBr → 2KCl + Br₂
Chlorine is more reactive than bromine, so it displaces it.
Important Things to Remember
● Displacement reactions are redox reactions:
○ The more reactive metal is oxidized (loses electrons)
○ The less reactive metal is reduced /displaced (gains electrons)
● You can predict if a displacement reaction will happen using the reactivity series