Enter your Free Element (A) and Compound (BC), select a Reaction Type, and this Single Displacement Reaction Calculator tells you whether a reaction occurs — plus the balanced equation, product element, product compound, and reaction classification. Toggle Show Detailed Steps to walk through the chemistry step by step.
Reaction Occurs
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Balanced Equation
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Product Element
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Product Compound
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Reaction Classification
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A single displacement reaction occurs when a more reactive element displaces a less reactive element from its compound. The general form is A + BC → AC + B, where A replaces B in the compound.
Use the reactivity series (activity series) to determine if a reaction will occur. A more reactive element will displace a less reactive element from its compound. If the free element is less reactive, no reaction occurs.
Common examples include Zn + CuSO₄ → ZnSO₄ + Cu (zinc displaces copper) and Mg + 2HCl → MgCl₂ + H₂ (magnesium displaces hydrogen from acid).
Cation replacement involves a metal displacing another metal from a compound (A + BC → AC + B). Anion replacement involves a nonmetal displacing another nonmetal from a compound.
First identify the products based on reactivity, then balance by adjusting coefficients to ensure equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the equation.
If a less reactive element is used as the displacing agent, no reaction will occur. The original compound remains unchanged, often written as 'No Reaction' or NR.
Yes, single displacement reactions can produce gases. For example, when metals react with acids, hydrogen gas is often produced as one of the products.