What characterizes a double substitution reaction?

A double substitution reaction, also known as a double displacement reaction, is characterized by the exchange of parts between two reactants to form new products. In these reactions, the ions or elements in two compounds swap places in an aqueous solution to create two different compounds. This type of reaction typically occurs in solutions where ions move freely, allowing for the exchange to happen.

For instance, when mixing two ionic compounds in solution, such as silver nitrate and sodium chloride, the silver ions will pair with chloride ions, while the sodium ions will pair with nitrate ions, resulting in the formation of silver chloride and sodium nitrate. This illustrates the concept of reactants exchanging parts to create new substances, which is the hallmark of double substitution reactions.