Question

What is meant by a displacement reaction? Explain with the help of one example.

Answer 1

Those reactions in which one element replaces another in a compound are known as displacement reactions. In general, a more reactive element displaces a less reactive element from its compound.

When a strip of zinc metal is placed in a copper sulphate solution, zinc sulphate solution and copper are formed.

\[\ce{\underset{(Blue solution)}{\underset{Copper sulphate}{CuSO4_{(aq)}}} + \underset{(Silvery white)}{\underset{Zinc}{Zn_{(s)}}} -> \underset{(Colourless solution)}{\underset{Zinc sulphate}{ZnSO4_{(aq)}}} + \underset{(Red-brown)}{\underset{Copper}{Cu_{(s)}}}}\]