Lesson T4.2.2

T4.2.2 Oxidation and displacement reactions Quiz: KS3 Chemistry, Unit 4

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson T4.2.2, Oxidation and displacement reactions: 20 multiple choice questions for the KS3 Chemistry (National Curriculum), Unit 4: Chemical reactions, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What is oxidation in terms of oxygen?

    • Gaining oxygen
    • Losing oxygen
    • Losing carbon
    • Gaining hydrogen

  2. What is reduction in terms of oxygen?

    • Losing oxygen
    • Gaining oxygen
    • Losing hydrogen
    • Gaining carbon

  3. Which metal reacts with oxygen to form a metal oxide when burned?

    • Gold
    • Silver
    • Magnesium
    • Platinum

  4. What is the name of the product when a metal reacts with oxygen?

    • A metal oxide
    • A metal hydroxide
    • A metal carbonate
    • A metal sulfide

  5. What happens in a displacement reaction?

    • A less reactive element pushes out a more reactive element
    • A more reactive element pushes out a less reactive element from its compound
    • Two compounds swap partners to form two new compounds only with heat
    • An element splits into smaller elements

  6. Which metal is more reactive than copper?

    • Gold
    • Iron
    • Silver
    • Platinum

  7. What happens when iron is put into copper sulfate solution?

    • Iron displaces copper, and the solution turns paler as copper is deposited
    • Copper displaces iron, and the solution turns darker blue as iron is deposited
    • Iron turns into gold and the solution becomes clear as the gold settles
    • Nothing happens because both are metals and neither can displace the other

  8. Why does zinc displace copper from copper sulfate solution?

    • Zinc and copper have the same reactivity
    • Zinc is less reactive than copper
    • Copper is more reactive than zinc
    • Zinc is more reactive than copper

  9. A student heats magnesium ribbon with iron oxide and iron forms. What is happening?

    • Magnesium turns into iron and oxygen gas is released from the iron oxide
    • Magnesium displaces iron from iron oxide because it is more reactive
    • Iron oxide breaks down into magnesium and oxygen when it is strongly heated
    • Iron displaces magnesium from magnesium oxide because it is more reactive

  10. Which reaction shows a metal being oxidised?

    • Magnesium oxide being heated to form magnesium
    • Magnesium burning in air to form magnesium oxide
    • Copper oxide reacting with carbon to form copper
    • Calcium carbonate splitting into calcium oxide

  11. What does a more reactive metal do in a displacement reaction?

    • It stays unchanged and separates out of the solution as a fine powder
    • It forms a compound by taking the place of the less reactive metal
    • It evaporates from the solution as a gas that bubbles off in the reaction
    • It turns into an acid that dissolves the less reactive metal in the solution

  12. Which of these is an oxidation reaction?

    • Dissolving salt in water
    • Melting wax
    • Filtering sand from water
    • Rusting of iron

  13. Which of these metals would NOT displace copper from copper sulfate?

    • Zinc
    • Gold
    • Iron
    • Magnesium

  14. Which type of reaction describes a substance losing oxygen?

    • Oxidation
    • Combustion
    • Neutralisation
    • Reduction

  15. Of magnesium, copper and gold, which is most reactive?

    • Copper
    • Gold
    • Magnesium
    • Silver

  16. In the reaction CuO + C -> Cu + CO, what is oxidised and what is reduced?

    • Copper is oxidised because it gains carbon; carbon is reduced because it loses copper
    • Carbon is reduced by losing oxygen; copper oxide is oxidised by gaining oxygen
    • Both copper and carbon are reduced because oxygen is removed
    • Carbon is oxidised by gaining oxygen; copper oxide is reduced by losing oxygen

  17. Why does carbon, rather than magnesium, reduce iron oxide in a blast furnace?

    • Carbon and iron are equally reactive, so no reaction occurs
    • Iron is more reactive than carbon, so it takes oxygen from carbon
    • Carbon is more reactive than iron, so it takes oxygen from iron oxide
    • Carbon is less reactive than iron, so it forms iron oxide

  18. Why does the metal displaced from a solution often appear as a solid?

    • The displaced metal dissolves into the gas above the solution
    • The displaced metal melts and floats on the surface
    • The displaced metal turns into oxygen gas
    • The displaced metal forms a solid deposit on the metal used

  19. In a displacement reaction of zinc with copper sulfate solution, what is seen on the zinc?

    • A brown or red-brown deposit of copper forms on the zinc
    • A white deposit of zinc oxide forms on the zinc
    • A green deposit of zinc carbonate forms on the zinc
    • A clear layer of water forms on the zinc

  20. Which statement about displacement reactions is correct?

    • They happen when a more reactive element displaces a less reactive one from a compound
    • They happen only when both elements are unreactive and inert to each other
    • They require a catalyst in every case to speed the change between the elements
    • They always produce a gas and no solid, so the solution stays clear throughout the test

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