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Single displacement reactions are classified into three subgroups: hydrogen displacement reactions , metal displacement reactions , and halogen element displacement reactions .
Let’s look at some examples of single substitution reactions:
- The reaction between metallic zinc and hydrochloric acid to produce zinc chloride and hydrogen gas is an example of a single displacement reaction.
Zn + 2 HCl → ZnCl 2 + H 2
- Another example is the displacement of iron in an iron(II) oxide solution.
2 Fe 2 O 3 + 3 C → Fe + CO 2
How to Recognize a Simple Displacement Reaction
Looking at the chemical equation of a reaction, you can identify a single displacement reaction when a cation or anion moves from one reactant to another to form a new compound. It’s easy to see when one of the reactants is an element and the other is a compound. Typically, when two compounds react, both cations or both anions will change compounds, and a double displacement reaction occurs.
Whether a single displacement reaction will occur can be predicted by comparing the reactivity of an element. In general, a metal can displace any metal of lower reactivity (cations). The same rule applies to halogens (anions).
