Kaplan Nursing Entrance Exam Practice 2025 – Comprehensive Prep

In a single displacement reaction, one reactant is replaced by another reactant. This means that an element in a compound is displaced by a more reactive element. The general pattern of this type of reaction can be represented as follows: A + BC → AC + B, where A is the more reactive element that takes the place of B in the compound BC, forming a new compound AC and releasing element B.

The defining characteristic of this reaction format relies on the reactivity of the elements involved; the more reactive element will always replace the less reactive one, which aligns perfectly with the answer selected. This distinct process is what differentiates single displacement reactions from other types of reactions, like combination reactions, where two or more reactants come together to form one product, or double displacement reactions, which involve the exchange of ions between two compounds resulting in the formation of two new products. Each of these different types of reactions has its own unique characteristics, which is vital for understanding chemical processes.