page

139 Displacement reactions Help

Sheet

Magnesium is more reactive than zinc, iron and copper.

Therefore it can displace these metals. For example,
magnesium + zinc oxide magnesium oxide + zinc
Mg + ZnO MgO + Zn
Zinc has been displaced by magnesium.

Magnesium and zinc both want the oxygen

Magnesium wins the ‘tug-of-war’

Thermit reaction
Would you expect aluminium to displace iron from its compounds ?

The reaction between aluminium and iron oxide gives out lots of heat.
It is called the thermit reaction.
(Your teacher might demonstrate this spectacular reaction.)
iron oxide + aluminium aluminium oxide + iron
Fe2O3 + 2 Al Al2O3 + 2 Fe
This displacement reaction has found a use in repairing railway tracks.
The heat given out in the reaction melts the iron formed. The molten iron runs down between
the tracks and welds them together.
 Write word and symbol equations for any of the following pairs in which a displacement
reaction will take place:
a) zinc oxide + magnesium
b) copper oxide + silver
c) copper oxide + zinc
d) iron(III) oxide + zinc.

GCSE Chemistry for You, 5th edition Oxford University Press Chapter 10 © Ryan Books Ltd