In a displacement reaction, we a cation (either H" or a metal cation) with an elemental metal (turning the metal into a cation and the original cation into its elemental form). To know whether a displacement reaction will proceed or whether there will be no reaction (N.R.), we need to consult the series. In a metathesis reaction, we swap a cation with another Examples of metathesis reactions are reactions and /base reactions for the latter at least one of the reagents must be strong for it to be a true metathesis reaction. To know whether a "precipitation reaction will proceed or whether there will be no reaction (N.R.), we need to consult the table. To know whether we have an acid/base reaction, we have to make sure that our starting materials are one acid and one