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What is the Difference Between Single Displacement Reaction and Double Displacement Reaction

Answer:- A displacement reaction is one in which one reactant is partially replaced by another reactant. A displacement reaction can also be referred to as a replacement or metathesis reaction. Displacement reactions are divided into two categories:

  1. Single displacement reaction

  2. Double displacement reaction

Single displacement reaction

Double displacement reaction

1. A single displacement reaction is a chemical reaction in a more reactive element that replaces a less reactive element.

1. A double displacement reaction is a chemical reaction in which two ionic species are exchanged between two molecules.

2. In single displacement reactions, a reactive species that can replace a functional group is required

2. In double displacement reactions, exchangeable ions are required.

3. General Formula:

 A-B+C→A+B-C

3. General Formula:

 A-B+C-D→A-C+B-D

4. The reactivity series can be used to anticipate the outcome of a displacement reaction since the chemical components at the top of the series can replace the chemical elements at the bottom.

4. It could be ionic or covalent bonds that break and form during this reaction.

5. No precipitate formed as a result of the colour change. 

5. Precipitate is formed, hence one of the examples of displacement reaction is precipitation reaction.

6. Metals react with another metal’s salt solution.

6. Two different metal salt solutions react with each other.

Example of single displacement reaction:

An example of a single displacement reaction is the reaction of zinc metal with hydrochloric acid to produce zinc chloride and hydrogen gas:

Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq) → ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g) 

Here only one displacement took place as zinc displaced hydrogen because of higher reactivity than hydrogen.

Example of double displacement reaction:

When a barium chloride solution is combined with sodium sulphate, a white barium sulphate precipitate forms quickly. 

BaCl2(aq) + Na2SO4(aq) → BaSO4(s) + 2NaCl(aq) 

The nature of these reactions is ionic. When the reactants are dissolved in water, they become ions, and an ion-exchange displacing barium with sodium and chloride with sulphate happens in the solution, resulting in the creation of a product molecule.