Single Displacement Reactions
- Predict the products and thermodynamic favorability of single displacement reactions and relate experimental data to an activity series.
Single Displacement Reactions
Redox reaction in which an ion in solution is displaced via the oxidation of a metallic element. E.g.:
Metals may also be oxidized by solutions of other salts, e.g.:
Activity Series
Here’s an activity series of the metals:
| Metals | Reaction (if any) |
|---|---|
| Li | React with cold water, replacing hydrogen |
| K | |
| Ba | |
| Sr | |
| Ca | |
| Na | |
| Mg | React with steam, but not cold water, replacing hydrogen |
| Al | |
| Zn | |
| Cr | |
| Fe | |
| Cd | |
| Co | Do not react with water. React with acids, replacing hydrogen |
| Ni | |
| Sn | |
| Pb | |
| Cu | Unreactive |
| Hg | |
| Ag | |
| Pt | |
| Au |
For a single displacement reaction, a given metal is capable of replacing a metal that is below it in the activity series. This can be used to predict the thermodynamic favorability of reactions.
Imagine small pieces if cobalt were placed into two separate aqueous solutions: one of iron (Ⅲ) nitrate, and one of lead (Ⅱ) nitrate. By consulting the activity series, we see that iron is above and lead is below cobalt. Therefore, the cobalt metal with be capable of replacing the lead in a reaction, but not the iron: