Types of Chemical Reactions

Importance of Chemical Reactions

Classroom Activity
Quickly pour the 2 M KI solution into the 500 mL graduated cylinder containing the hydrogen
peroxide plus soap and stand back. The generated oxygen interacts with the soap creating a
foam “snake” which quickly fills the cylinder and spills onto the large serving tray. Since this
is an exothermic reaction, steam may be seen emerging from the cylinder. The possible
presence of a brown color in the foam is evidence of iodine in the reaction vessel. Observe
what happened.

Take a piece of copper wire and twist it into a form of a Christmas tree, introduce it into a 1
molar solution of Silver nitrate and observe what happened and continue reading the
document.

In this moment there are millions of chemical reactions occurring both in and around you,
chemical reactions can used to liberate energy, produce everyday products, and medicines.
Without these reactions we would not exist for the basic chemical material of life is our DNA.

In todays class activity we are going to analyze what a chemical reaction is and the different
types of chemical reactions while referring to the periodic trend called reactivity and how it
helps determine the type of chemical reaction, to do this you must consult the following
concepts:

Chemical formula: a mathematical relationship expressed in symbols

Chemical reaction: is a process where two or more substances chemically combine

transforming them into a new one set of chemical substances

Chemical equation: a symbolic representation of a chemical reaction.

Reactants: the input elements in a chemical equation or the original elements that undergo a
chemical reaction.

Products: the output elements in a chemical equation or the elements that are left after the
chemical equation has been made.

By product: products that obtained but unwanted.

Symbols used to express what occurs during a chemical reaction: +, -, arrow to the side,
arrow down and up. (s) (aq) (g)

Coefficient: the leading number of a chemical formula that indicates the number of moles

Subscript: the little number on the bottom right that states haw many atoms of the elements
are needed.

Reactivity list
Synthesis reaction: is when two or more simple compounds combine to form a more
complicated one

Decomposition reaction: is the opposite of a synthesis reaction - a complex molecule breaks

down to make simpler ones.

Single displacement reaction: This is when one element trades places with another element
in a compound.

Double displacement reaction: This is when the anions and cations of two different
molecules switch places, forming two entirely different compounds

Acid-Base reaction: This is a special kind of double displacement reaction that takes place
when an acid and base react with each other. The H+ ion in the acid reacts with the OH- ion
in the base, causing the formation of water.

Combustion reaction: is when oxygen combines with another compound to form water and
carbon dioxide

Review Concepts Compound: the combination of 2 or more

elements.

Reactivity : the extent to which a nuclear reactor

deviates from a steady state.

Solid state: particles close together with no moement.

Liquid State: indefinite shape and definite volume

Gaseous state: particles far apart with no definite

shape or volume.

II. Use the definitions you obtained from the previous

concepts to answer the following:
1) What type of chemical reaction has oxygen as one of its reactants and carbon
dioxide and water as products?
combustion

2) What type of chemical reaction has two (or more) chemicals combining to form
one chemical?
synthesis
3) What type of chemical reaction has one large molecule falling apart to make
several small ones?
decomposition
4) What type of chemical reaction has one element taking the place of another that
was already forming a compound?
 Single displacement
5) What type of chemical reaction has water and salts as products?
Acid base
6) What type of chemical reaction has two elements taking the place of another that
were already forming compounds?
Double displacement

III. Use the answers to the previous questions as a

reference to determine what type of chemical reaction that
is expressed in each equation
1) NaOH + KNO3 --> NaNO3 + KOH double displacement
2) CH4 + 2 O2 --> CO2 + 2 H2O combustion
3) 2 Fe + 6 NaBr --> 2 FeBr3 + 6 Na single displacement
4) CaSO4 + Mg(OH)2 --> Ca(OH)2 + MgSO4 double disoplacement
5) NH4OH + HBr --> H2O + NH4Br acid base
6) Pb + O2 --> PbO2 synthesis
7) Na2CO3 --> Na2O + CO2 decomposition

Types of Chemical Reactions video

A chemical reaction is a process where two or more substances chemically
combine transforming them into a new one set of chemical substances

All chemical reactions can be placed into one of six categories.

Here they are, in no particular order:
1) Combustion: A combustion reaction is when oxygen combines with another
compound to form water and carbon dioxide. These reactions are exothermic, meaning
they produce heat. An example of this kind of reaction is the burning of napthalene:
C10H8 + 12 O2 ---> 10 CO2 + 4 H2O

2) Synthesis: A synthesis reaction is when two or more simple compounds combine to

form a more complicated one. These reactions come in the general form of:
A + B ---> AB
One example of a synthesis reaction is the combination of iron and sulfur to form iron
(II) sulfide:
8 Fe + S8 ---> 8 FeS

3) Decomposition: A decomposition reaction is the opposite of a synthesis reaction - a

complex molecule breaks down to make simpler ones. These reactions come in the
general form:
AB ---> A + B
One example of a decomposition reaction is the electrolysis of water to make oxygen
and hydrogen gas:
2 H2O ---> 2 H2 + O2

4) Single displacement: This is when one element trades places with another element
in a compound. These reactions come in the general form of:
A + BC ---> AC + B
One example of a single displacement reaction is when magnesium replaces hydrogen
in water to make magnesium hydroxide and hydrogen gas:
Mg + 2 H2O ---> Mg(OH)2 + H2

5) Double displacement: This is when the anions and cations of two different
molecules switch places, forming two entirely different compounds. These reactions are
in the general form:
AB + CD ---> AD + CB
One example of a double displacement reaction is the reaction of lead (II) nitrate with
potassium iodide to form lead (II) iodide and potassium nitrate:
Pb(NO3)2 + 2 KI ---> PbI2 + 2 KNO3

6) Acid-base: This is a special kind of double displacement reaction that takes place
when an acid and base react with each other. The H+ ion in the acid reacts with the OH-
ion in the base, causing the formation of water. Generally, the product of this reaction is
some ionic salt and water:
HA + BOH ---> H2O + BA
One example of an acid-base reaction is the reaction of hydrobromic acid (HBr) with
 Answers to type of chemical reaction questions:
1) What type of chemical reaction has oxygen as one of its reactants and carbon
dioxide and water as products? Combustion
2) What type of chemical reaction has two (or more) chemicals combining to form one
chemical? Synthesis
3) What type of chemical reaction has one large molecule falling apart to make several
small ones? Decomposition
4) What type of chemical reaction has one element taking the place of another that was
already forming a compound? Single Displacement
5) What type of chemical reaction has water and salts as products? Acid-Base
6) What type of chemical reaction has two elements taking the place of another that
were already forming compounds? Double Displacement

Solutions to the Sample Problems

1) double displacement
2) combustion
3) single displacement
4) double displacement
5) acid-base
6) synthesis
7) decomposition
Consider the initial chemical reactions you observed at the beginning of todays session and
write the chemical equations and determine the type of chemical reaction each one is.
AgNO3(aq) + Cu(S) = CuNO3(aq) + Ag(s) (single displacement)
H2O2 = H2O + O2 (decomposition)