CHEMICAL REACTIONS

OBJECTIVES
At the end of this lesson, the
student is able to: EXAMPLE:
• Write and balance chemical reactions Word description: Calcium sulfide reacts
and equations with water to produce calcium oxide and
hydrogen sulfide.
• Identify the type of chemical reaction
that occurs and classify it (e.g., Chemical equation: CaS + H2O -> CaO + H2S
combination reaction, decomposition,
CHEMICAL REACTIONS AND
single replacement, double replacement
EQUATIONS
and REDOX reaction)
Chemical equation: CaS + H2O -> CaO + H2S
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
AND EQUATIONS The substances present at the start of a
chemical reaction are called reactants. A
A chemical reaction is a
reactant is a starting material in a
process in which a
chemical reaction that undergoes
substance (or substances)
change in a chemical reaction. As the
is changed into one or
chemical reaction proceeds, new
more new substances. To
materials with new chemical properties,
communicate about
called products are produced. A product
chemical reactions, chemists have
is a substance produced as a result of the
devised a standard way to represent
chemical reaction.
them using chemical equations.
CONVENTIONS IN WRITING
CHEMICAL REACTIONS AND
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
EQUATIONS
RUSTING OF IRON 1. The correct formulas of the reactants
are always written on the left side of the
equation.
2. The correct formulas of the products
are always written on the right side of the
CHEMICAL REACTIONS AND equation.
EQUATIONS
3. The reactants and products are
A chemical equation is a written separated by an arrow pointing toward
statement that uses chemical symbols the products.
and chemical formulas instead of words
4. Plus signs are used to separate
to describe changes that occur in a
different reactants and different products.
chemical reaction.
 CHEMICAL REACTIONS AND
EQUATIONS
A valid chemical equation must satisfy
two conditions:
1. It must be consistent with experimental
facts – only the reactants and products
that are actually involved are shown in
the reaction.
2. There must be the same number of
atoms of each kind on both sides of the
chemical equation – balanced chemical
equation (is a chemical equation that has
the same number of atoms of each
element on each side of the equation).
CHEMICAL REACTIONS AND
EQUATIONS
GUIDELINES FOR BALANCING
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
An unbalanced chemical equation is
brought into balance by adding
coefficients to the equation to adjust the
number of reactant or product molecules
present.
An equation coefficient is a number that
is placed to the left of the chemical
formula in a chemical equation – it
changes the amount but not the identity.
GUIDELINES FOR BALANCING
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
Suppose we want to balance the
chemical equation:
FeI2 + Cl2->FeCl3 + I2
1. Examine the equation and pick one
element to balance first. It is often
convenient to start with the compound
that contains the greatest number of
atoms, whether a reactant or product,
and focus on the element in the
compound that has the greatest number
of atoms.
Suppose we want to balance the
chemical equation:
FeI2 + 3Cl2 -> 2FeCl3 + I2
2. Next a second element is picked to
balance. It is always wise to pick, as the
second element to balance, one whose
amount is already set on one side of the
equation by a previously determined
coefficient.
Suppose we want to balance the
chemical equation:
2FeI2 + 3Cl2->2FeCl3 + I2
3. Next pick a third element to balance.
Suppose we want to balance the
chemical equation:
2FeI2 + 3Cl2 -> 2FeCl3 + 2I2
4. As a final check on the correctness of
the balancing procedure, count atoms on
each side of the equation.
Suppose we want to balance the
chemical equation:
2FeI2 + 3Cl2 ->2FeCl3 + 2I2

Suppose we want to balance the
chemical equation:
2FeI2 + 3Cl2->2FeCl3 + 2I2 //
In accordance with the law of
conservation of mass. This mass law
states that during chemical reactions only
rearrangement of atoms occurs and that
the product always contain the same
number of atoms of each kind as do the
reactants.
ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES FOR
BALANCING CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
1. The coefficients in a balanced
chemical equation are always the
smallest set of whole numbers that will
balance the equation.
2. Products in a chemical reaction
depend upon the type of chemical
reaction that occurs.
3. It is often useful to know the physical
state of the substances involved in a
chemical reaction.
2Fe2O3(s) + 3C(s) -> 4Fe(s) + 3CO2(g)
SIMPLER WAYS FOR BALANCING
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS
1. Trial and Error Method
Example: 2H2 (g) + O2 (g) -> 2H2O (l)
2 moles of H2 will react with 1 mole of
O2 to produce to moles of H2O.
SAMPLE EXERCISES
Balance the following chemical
equations:
1. KClO3 -> KCl + O2
2. C3H8 + O2 -> CO2 + H2O
3. C2H2O2 + O2 -> CO2 + H2O
2. Algebraic method (used for
complicated equations)
Example: C2H2O2 + O2 -> CO2 + H2O
Rules: Assign each reactant and product
with a letter. As per element, equate the
reactants and products using the letters
and atoms (of the element) present.
2. Algebraic method (used for
complicated equations)
Example:
(a) C2H2O2 + (b) O2 -> (c) CO2 + (d)
H2O
SAMPLE EXERCISES
Balance the following chemical
equations:
1. C3H6O2 + O2 -> CO2 + H2O
2. (NH4)2CO3 + AgCl -> Ag2CO3 + NH4Cl
3. H2CO3 + Mg -> MgCO3 + H2O + CO2
TYPES OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS In such a combination reaction, two
substances join together to form a more
A chemical reaction is a process in which
complicated product. The reactants X
at least one new substance is produced
and Y can be an element or a compound,
as a result of chemical change.
while the product XY is always a
The majority of chemical reactions fall compound.
into these five major categories:
ADDITION REACTIONS:
• Combination Reactions
Some examples of combination
• Decomposition Reactions reactions:

• Displacement Reactions Ca + S -> CaS

• Exchange Reactions N2 + _H2 -> _NH3

• Combustion Reactions SO3 + H2O -> H2SO4

COMBINATION REACTIONS: _NO2 + H2O2 -> _HNO3

A combination reaction is a chemical

reaction in which a single product is
produced from two (or more) reactions.
The general equation for a combination
reaction involving two reactants is:
X + Y -> XY
SUBSTITUTION REACTIONS
DISPLACEMENT/SINGLE
REPLACEMENT REACTIONS:
DECOMPOSITION REACTIONS:
A decomposition reaction is a chemical
reaction in which a single reactant is
converted into two (or more) simpler
substances (elements or compounds).
The general equation for a
decomposition reaction in which there
are two products is:

A displacement reaction is a chemical XY -> X + Y

reaction in which an atom or molecule
Reactant is always a compound, wherein
displaces an atom or group of atoms from
the products may be an element or
a compound. The general equation for a
compound.
displacement reaction in which there are
two reactants and two products is: ELIMINATION REACTIONS:
X + YZ -> Y + XZ Some examples of decomposition
reactions:
Condition: X should be more active than
Y (based upon the reactivity series), or if _CuO -> _Cu + O2 _H2O -> _H2 + O2
not, there would be no reaction.
CaCO3 -> CaO + CO2 _KClO3 ->_KCl + _O2
REACTIVITY SERIES
2 TYPES OF DOUBLE REPLACEMENT
REACTIONS:

DISPLACEMENT/SINGLE
REPLACEMENT REACTIONS:
Some examples of displacement
reactions:
Fe + CuSO4 -> Cu + FeSO4
Mg + Ni(NO3)2 -> Ni + Mg(NO3)2

Cl2 + NiI2 -> I2 + NiCl2

F2 + _NaCl -> Cl2+ _NaF

EXCHANGE/ DOUBLE
REPLACEMENT REACTIONS:
An exchange reaction is a chemical
reaction in which two substances
exchange parts with one another and
form two different substances. The
general equation for an exchange
reaction is:
COMBUSTION REACTIONS:
A combustion reaction is a chemical
reaction between a substance and
oxygen (usually from air) that proceeds
with the evolution of heat and light
(usually from a flame).

AX + BY -> AY + BX Hydrocarbons (binary compounds of

EXCHANGE/ DOUBLE REPLACEMENT
REACTIONS:
Some examples of exchange reactions:
AgNO3(aq) + NaCl(aq) -> AgCl(s) +
NaNO3(aq)
carbon and hydrogen) – are the most
common type of compound that
undergoes combustion. In combustion
reaction, relative products include carbon
dioxide and water.
Example: C3H8 + 5O2 -> 3CO2 + 4H2O

_KI(aq) + Pb(NO3)2 ! _KNO3(aq) +

PbI2(s)
Insoluble solids formed from such a
reaction are called precipitates.
REDOX AND NONREDOX CHEMICAL
REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
An oxidation-reduction (REDOX)
chemical reaction is a chemical reaction
in which there is a transfer of electrons
from one reactant to another reactant.
A nonoxidation-reduction (NONREDOX)
chemical reaction is a chemical reaction
in which there is no transfer of electrons
from one reactant to another reactant.
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
A “bookkeeping system” known as
oxidation numbers is used to identify
whether electron transfer occurs in a
chemical reaction.
An oxidation number is a number that
represents the charge that an atom
appears to have when the electrons in
each bond it is participating in are
assigned to the more electronegative of
the two atoms involved in the bond.
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
Rules:
1. The oxidation number of an element in
its elemental state is zero.
2. The oxidation number of a
monoatomic ion is equal to the charge on
the ion (e.g. Na+ (+1) ; S2- (-2))
3. The oxidation numbers for Groups IA
and IIA metals in compounds are always
+1 and +2, respectively.
4. The oxidation number of hydrogen is
+1 in most hydrogen-containing
compounds.
5. The oxidation number of oxygen is -2
in most oxygen-containing compounds.
6. For a compound, the sum of the
individual oxidation numbers is equal to
zero; for a polyatomic ion, the sum is
equal to the charge on the ion.
7. In binary molecular compounds, the
more electronegative element is
assigned a negative oxidation number
equal to its charge in binary ionic
compounds.
(e.g. CCl4 (oxidation number of Cl = -1)
EXERCISES:
Assign an oxidation number to each
element in the following compounds or
polyatomic ions.
1. P2O5
2. KMnO4
3. NO3
Assigning oxidation numbers to all
elements in the substances involved in a
chemical reaction and then looking for
oxidation number changes is the basis
for determining whether a chemical
reaction is a redox reaction or a non-
redox reaction.
Example: Ca + Cl2 -> CaCl2 (REDOX
reaction)
CaCO3 -> CaO + CO2 (a nonREDOX
reaction)
TERMINOLOGY ASSOCIATED WITH Reducing agent is a reactant in a redox
REDOX PROCESSES reaction that causes reduction of another
reactant by providing electrons for the
Four key terms used in describing redox
other reactant to accept.
processes are oxidation, reduction,
oxidizing agent and reducing agent. * Substance oxidized = reducing
agent;
It is electron transfer that links all redox
processes together. Changes in * Substance reduced = oxidizing agent
oxidation number is a direct
consequence of electron transfer.
SUMMARY
In redox reaction, one reactant
undergoes oxidation, and another
reactant undergoes reduction.
Oxidation is a process whereby a
reactant in a chemical reaction loses one
or more electrons. Reduction is the
process whereby a reactant in a chemical
reaction gains one or more electrons.
Oxidation and reduction are
complementary processes. SAMPLE EXERCISES:

Electron loss (oxidation) always lead to FeO + CO -> Fe + CO2

an increase in oxidation number. Identify the following:
Consequently, electron gain (reduction)
always lead to a decrease in oxidation A. The substance oxidized
number. B. The substance reduced
VILEORA (Valence Increase, Lose C. The oxidizing agent
electrons, Oxidation, Reducing agent)
VDGEROA (Valence Decrease, Gain D. The reducing agent
electrons, Reduction, Oxidizing agent)
OXIDIZING AGENTS AND REDUCING
AGENTS
Oxidizing agent is the reactant in a
redox reaction that causes oxidation of
another reactant by accepting electrons
from it. This acceptance of electrons
means that the oxidizing agent itself is
reduced.