What Is a Displacement Reaction in Chemistry?

In a displacement reaction, atoms or ions replace other atoms or ions

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Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.
Chemistry Expert
  • Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville
  • B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College
Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels.
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Updated on September 09, 2019

A displacement reaction is a type of reaction in which part of one reactant is replaced by another reactant. A displacement reaction is also known as a replacement reaction or a metathesis reaction. There are two types of displacement reactions.

Single Displacement Reactions

Single displacement reactions are reactions where one reactant replaces part of the other:

AB + C → AC + B
One reactant exchanges for one ion in a single displacement reaction.
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Single-Displacement Reaction Definition and Examples
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D.

An example is the reaction between iron and copper sulfate to produce iron sulfate and copper:

Fe + CuSO4 → FeSO4 + Cu

Here, both iron and copper have the same valence. One metal cation takes the place of the other, bonding to the sulfate anion.

Double Displacement Reactions

Double displacement reactions are reactions where the cations and anions in the reactants switch partners to form products:

AB + CD → AD + CB

An example is the reaction between silver nitrate and sodium chloride to form silver chloride and sodium nitrate:

AgNO3 + NaCl → AgCl + NaNO3
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Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Is a Displacement Reaction in Chemistry?" ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/definition-of-displacement-reaction-605036. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2023, April 5). What Is a Displacement Reaction in Chemistry? Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-displacement-reaction-605036 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "What Is a Displacement Reaction in Chemistry?" ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-displacement-reaction-605036 (accessed April 19, 2024).