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Students will be able to:
 Identify single displacement reactions
 Predict products for and balance single
displacement reactions
 Determine which single displacement
reactions actually occur
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Students will be able to:
Use the A + BC ⇒ B + AC symbolic formula to
identify a single displacement reaction and to
determine products.
Use the Activity Charts to determine which
single displacement reactions will proceed
forward
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Observe the following reaction:
 Copper + silver nitrate 
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What do you observe?
What is the precipitate?
What do you notice about the
solution?
Write a complete, balanced
equation for this reaction.
Cu + AgNO3  Ag + Cu(NO3)2
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Is a reaction in which one element takes the
place of another element in a compound
The products of a single displacement reaction
are a new element and a new compound.
Single Displacement reactions occur between
ionic compounds
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A metal displacing another metal from an ionic
compound
A and B represent metals, C is a non-metal
A
+B
C A C
+
B
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A non-metal displacing another non-metal
from an ionic compound
A represents a metal, B and C non-metals
AB
+C A C +
B
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Single displacement is similar to one man
cutting in on another man at the dance
At the start, dancer A is by himself and dancer B is
dancing with dancer C. Dancer A “cuts in” on
dancer B. In the end, dancer B is by himself and
dancer A is dancing with dancer C
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Magnesium metal + lead (II) nitrate solution
List your observations
Write a chemical equation
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zinc + lead (II) nitrate 
Zn + Pb(NO3)2  Pb + Zn(NO3)2
copper (II) nitrate + magnesium 
Cu(NO3)2 + Mg  Mg(NO3)2 + Cu
*Lead + copper (II)nitrate 
Pb + Cu(NO3)2  Cu + Pb(NO3)2 (Pb2+ is more common)
*Iron + sulfuric acid 
Fe + H2SO4  H2 + Fe2(SO4)3 (Fe3+ is more common)
*remember to use the correct ion for multivalent
metals. Your periodic table will tell you which is the
more common “oxidation state”.
Find these metals and solutions and watch them react!
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How do we determine
which elements can
displace another?
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Empirical evidence
gathered through
experimentation
Figure 1: (a) In the activity series
of metals, each metal will displace
the metal listed below it.
Hydrogen is usually included in
the series, even though it is not a
metal, because hydrogen can
form positive ions, just like the
metal (b) The halogens can also
be ordered in an activity series
(Nelson Chemistry 11 – p.126
Figure 3 and p. 127 Figure 4)
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Yesterday,
you were
given a
more
detailed
activity
series.
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For a reaction to occur, the element replacing the
element within a compound MUST be more reactive
The lower the electronegativity of a metal element
the more reactive it should be. We notice that the
opposite is true for the halogens (higher
electronegativity = more reactive). WHY??
Example 1: 2 Al(s) +
Fe2O3(s)  2 Fe(s) + Al2O3(s)
Example 2:
Mg(NO3)2(aq) 
Zn(s) +
NO
REACTION
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1)
aluminum + copper (II) nitrate ⇒
 Aluminum is higher on the activity series than
copper, therefore a reaction takes place
 2 Al + 3 Cu(NO3)2 ⇒ 3 Cu + 2 Al(NO3)3
 We should see a coating of copper on the aluminum
and the solution should turn from blue to colourless
2)
iron + aluminum nitrate ⇒
 Iron is lower on the activity series than aluminum,
therefore no reaction takes place
 Fe + Al(NO3)3 ⇒ NR
 The piece of iron should remain unaffected by the
solution
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3)
magnesium + hydrochloric acid ⇒
 Magnesium is higher on the activity series than
copper, therefore a reaction takes place.
 Mg + 2 HCl ⇒ H2 + MgCl2
 We should see bubbles of gas as hydrogen gas is
produced and the strip of magnesium slowly
consumed. The solution remains colourless.
4)
copper + hydrochloric acid ⇒
 copper is lower on the activity series than hydrogen,
therefore no reaction takes place.
 Cu + HCl ⇒ NR
 The piece of copper should remain unaffected by the
acid
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5)
tin + nickel (II) sulfate
 tin is lower on the activity series than nickel,
therefore no reaction takes place.
 Sn + NiSO4 ⇒ NR
 The piece of tin should remain unaffected by the
solution.
6)
magnesium + iron (III) chloride
 magnesium is higher on the activity series than iron,
therefore a reaction takes place.
 3 Mg + 2 FeCl3 ⇒ 2 Fe + 3 MgCl2
 We should see iron precipitate onto the magnesium.
The solution should change from reddish-brown to
colourless.
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A + BC ⇒ C + BA
Does a reaction occur?
Use the Non Metal (Halogen) Activity Chart
If so, predict the products. Balance the
equation if necessary.
Br2(aq)
+
NaI(aq) 
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Can protect against corrosion by coating iron in a
less reactive metal (example copper)
The statue of liberty was made out of iron, covered
with insulation, and then coated with copper
Over time, the copper oxidized and the insulation
wore away in places.
The more reactive iron then rusted when it came
into contact with the copper (II) oxide. WHY?? The
iron had to be replaced with stainless steel.
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A more reactive metal (zinc) is used to coat the iron.
The zinc quickly reacts with oxygen to form zinc
oxide (hard and insoluble). The zinc acts as a barrier
to protect the iron underneath.
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Much of the world’s steel is galvanized for
rust protection.
Stainless steel contains a significant portion
of nickel and chromium
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Water, especially saltwater, will corrode boat
hulls.
So boaters place a strip of
a more active metal on the
surface of the boat – as a
result the strip will corrode
first and protect the rest of
the hull
The strip is called a
sacrificial anode because it
is sacrificed in defense of
the rest of the hull
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Metals are often removed from rock by using
strong acid solutions.
Rocks are crushed into a fine slurry and
added to tanks of acid.
The acids dissolve the metals from minerals
and rocks.
The acids eventually transform into metalrich solutions
How could you remove the metals from these
solutions? (Hint: think about what you know
about the activity series)
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Copper solution
Sheets of copper
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Sheets of a metal higher on the activity
series than Cu are placed in the copper
solution. An electrical current speeds
up the procedure
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A single displacement reaction is a reaction
where one element takes the place of another
element in a compound.
Use the activity series to determine if a
reaction will occur.
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Complete the worksheet: Single Displacement
Reactions Practice
Answer #1, 3, 5, 6 on pg. 128 of the
textbook.
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