I have a homework to create a revision guide for metal extraction methods and have to cover displacement, but I have no idea what that is, please could someone explain it in a way someone with little knowledge in chemistry would know?
Responses (1)
Hey mate,
Copper oxide + magnesium —> magnesium oxide + copper
CuO + Mg —> MgO + Cu
Does this answer your question?
It has to do the reactive properties of the metals in question. Magnesium is more reactive than copper, so it displaces the copper and becomes oxidised. Copper is less reactive and loses the oxygen known as reduction.
On the other hand, a metal of lower reactivity cannot displace a higher metal so there is no reaction.