Oxidation, reduction and displacement reactions

Reactions of metals with oxygen

Many metals react with oxygen to make metal oxides. For
example, magnesium burns rapidly in air:
Magnesium + oyxgen → magnesium oxide
2Mg(s) + O2(g) → 2MgO(s)
The reactions are oxidation reactions because the metal gains
oxygen.
Oxygen can be removed from metal oxides in chemical
reactions. For example:
Copper oxide + carbon → copper + carbon dioxide
2CuO(s) + C(s) → 2Cu(l) + CO2(g)
In this reaction, carbon is oxidised because it gains oxygen. At
the same time, copper oxide is reduced because oxygen is
removed from it.
Oxidation is the gain of oxygen. Reduction is the loss of
oxygen.
Displacement in solutions
A more reactive metal can displace a less reactive metal from
its compounds. For example, magnesium is more reactive than
copper. It displaces copper from copper sulfate solution:
Magnesium + copper sulfate → magnesium sulfate + copper
Mg(s) + CuSO4(aq) → MgSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
In this displacement reaction:
 magnesium becomes coated with copper
 the blue colour of the solution fades as blue copper sulfate
solution is replaced by colourless magnesium sulfate
solution