Silver nitrate single-displacement reactions

An oxidation-reduction reaction is one in which electrons are transferred from one reactant to another. They are often called redox reactions for short. Oxidation is the loss of one or more electrons by a species. The species losing electrons is oxidized. Reduction is the gain of one or more electrons by a species, and that species is reduced. Oxidation and reduction always occur simultaneously. The single-displacement reaction of copper metal with silver nitrate solution is both a single replacement reaction and an oxidation-reduction reaction. 

The displacement of hydrogen from water or acids is just one type of single-displacement reaction. Other elements can also be displaced from their compounds. For example, copper metal reduces aqueous solutions of ionic silver compounds, such as silver nitrate, to deposit silver metal. The copper is oxidized. 

Some of the reactions you attempt may fail because the substances are not reactive or because the proper conditions for reaction are not present. For example, mer-cuiy(II) oxide does not decompose until it is heated magnesium does not bum in air or oxygen until the temperature reaches a certain point. When silver is placed in a solution of copper(II) sulfate, no reaction occurs. When copper wire is placed in a solution of silver nitrate, a single-displacement reaction takes place because copper is a more reactive metal than silver. (See Figure 8.1.)... 

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