What type of reaction is this?
CuCl2 + Al → AlCl3 + Cu
I think its single replacement
yes
You are correct, the reaction you provided is an example of a single replacement reaction. In general, single replacement reactions occur when an element replaces another element in a compound, resulting in the formation of a new compound and a different element.
To identify the type of reaction, you can follow these steps:
1. Identify the reactants and products: In this case, the reactants are CuCl2 (copper(II) chloride) and Al (aluminum), while the products are AlCl3 (aluminum chloride) and Cu (copper).
2. Determine if there is a change in the chemical composition: In single replacement reactions, one element is replaced by another in a compound. In this case, aluminum (Al) replaces copper (Cu) in copper(II) chloride (CuCl2) to form aluminum chloride (AlCl3) and elemental copper (Cu). Therefore, there is a change in the chemical composition.
3. Check the activity series: To confirm that it is indeed a single replacement reaction, you can consult the activity series of metals. The activity series lists metals in order of their reactivity, with the most reactive metal at the top. Aluminum is more reactive than copper according to the activity series. Since aluminum can displace copper from the compound, it is a single replacement reaction.
Therefore, the reaction CuCl2 + Al → AlCl3 + Cu is indeed a single replacement reaction.