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Introduction To Chemical Reactions
Introduction To Chemical Reactions
Reactions
What is a Chemical Reaction?
It is a chemical change in which one or
more substances are destroyed and one
or more new substances are created.
BEFORE AFTER
and
O2 gas
Parts of a Chemical Reaction
Reactants Products
• Synthesis (Combination)
• Decomposition
• Combustion
1) SINGLE REPLACEMENT
REACTION
A single uncombined
element replaces
another element in
an ionic compound.
There are two
reactants and two
products.
Ex: Zn + CuSO4 ZnSO4 + Cu
Single Replacement Reactions
Single replacement reactions have the
general form, A + BC AC + B.
Cl
Br
Lowest Activity
Predicting the Products of Single
Replacement Reactions
1) Write the reactants.
Na + H+OH- Na+OH- + H
H(OH)
HCl (aq) + NaOH (aq) NaCl (aq) + H2O (l)
(water-forming, acid-base, neutralization)
Types of synthesis:
a)Element A + Element B Compound
Na(s) + Cl2 (g) 2NaCl(s)
a)Element + Compound A Compound B
O2(g) + 2SO2(g) 2SO3(g)
a)Compound A + Compound B Compound C
CaO(s) + H2O(l) Ca(OH)2 (s)
Synthesis Reactions (cont’d)
• Metallic and nonmetallic elements react to form ionic
compounds. The resultant compound should be charge
balanced by the criss-cross method.
Ex. 4Li + O2 2Li2O
• Nonmetals react with each other to form covalent (molecular)
compounds. You should be able to draw a valid Lewis
Structure for the product.
2H2 + O2 2H2O
or
H2 + O2 H2O2
But NOT
H2 + O2 2OH
4) DECOMPOSITION REACTION
A more complex substance (the
reactant) breaks down into two
or more simple parts (products).
Synthesis and decomposition
reactions are opposites.
An electrical
current can be
used to chemically
separate water into
oxygen gas and
hydrogen gas.
Notice that twice
as much hydrogen
is produced
compared to
oxygen!
2H2O 2H2 + O2
Electrolysis of Molten Sodium
Chloride Many pure metals are
obtained by using
electrolysis to separate
metallic salts (ex. NaCl
is used to obtain pure
Na).
5) COMBUSTION REACTIONS
a) All involve oxygen (O2) as a reactant,
combining with another substance
b) All combustion reactions are are
exothermic
c) Complete combustion of a
hydrocarbon always produces CO2
and H2O
d) Incomplete combustion of a
hydrocarbon will produce CO and
possibly C (black carbon soot) as well
Ex: CH4 + 2O2 => CO2 + 2H2O (complete combustion – blue flame)
Ex: CH4 + 1.5O2 => CO + 2H2O (incomplete combustion – yellow flame)
Ex: CH4 + O2 => C + 2H2O (incomplete combustion – yellow flame, soot)
Combustion (cont’d)
• Any synthesis reaction which involves O2 as a
reactant is also considered to be a combustion
reaction!
SUBSCRIPT COEFFICIENT
Rules for Counting Atoms
1)Coefficients propagate to the right through the
entire compound, whether or not parentheses
are present.
__H2 + __ O2 __H2O
__H2 + __ O2 __H2O
Off Limits!
Rules for Balancing
Chemical Reactions
2) The coefficients must reduced to
represent the lowest possible numbers.
4H2 + 2 O2 4H2O
Rules for Balancing
Chemical Reactions
3) It is OK to use fraction coefficients, but
you must get rid of them in the end
(multiply through by denominator).
H 2 + ½ O 2 H 2O
Rules for Balancing
Chemical Reactions
4) Often, it is helpful to save the following
elements until the end (do other
elements first):
H, C, O
Rules for Balancing
Chemical Reactions
5) Do a final balance check for each
element!
2H2 + O2 2H2O
Practice
1) K + Br KBr
2) HgO Hg + O2
3) Na + H2O NaOH + H2
Practice
5) Al + HCl AlCl3 + H2