A displacement reaction 

occurs when a more reactive element displaces, or pushes out, a less reactive
element from a compound that contains the less reactive element. After a displacement reaction, the less
reactive element is now pure and left uncombined.
Two examples of displacement reactions are: The reaction between iron and copper sulphate to give iron
sulphate as product. Here, iron displaces copper because iron is more reactive than copper. The reaction between
zinc and iron sulphate to give zinc sulphate as a product.

A single-displacement reaction, is a chemical reaction in which one element is replaced by another in a compound. It
can be represented generically as: A + B-C → A-C + B.