Chemistry Handout 7 REF #: 007

Chemical Equations
A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of all the substances involved in a chemical reaction. Reactants are
shown on the left and products are shown on the right. Reactants and products are separated by an arrow which means
‘yeild’. The conditions for the reaction are placed above or under the arrow.

The law of conservation of matter

States that matter is not created nor destroyed but only changes from one state to another without any total loss or
gain. In any chemical reaction, the total mass of the products is equal to the total mass of the original reactants.

Writing and Balancing Chemical Equations

Two ways of writing equations are:
- Writing word equation
- Writing chemical equation/ formula equation
A state symbol shows the physical states of a substance at the reaction temperature. The four state symbols are:
(s) for solid, (l) for liquid, (g) for gas, (aq) for aqueous.

Balancing a chemical requires that there is the same number of atoms or ions of each element on both sides of the
equations. This is done by placing simple whole numbers in front of formulae to alter the proportion of reactions and
products without changing the formulae themselves.
A chemical equation is complete when it is balanced and state symbols are included.

It is an unbalanced equation (sometimes also called a skeleton equation). This means that there are UNEQUAL numbers
at least one atom on each side of the arrow. By the way, a skeleton equation is not wrong, it just hasn't been balanced
yet. Presenting it as being balanced would be wrong.

Note:

1) You cannot change a subscript.

2) You cannot place a coefficient in the middle of a formula. The coefficient goes at the beginning of a formula, not in the
middle.
3) Make sure that your final set of coefficients are all whole numbers with no common factors other than one.
4) NO fractions allowed in the final answer, only whole numbers.
Questions

1. Balance the following equations:

a. Mg (s) + O2 (g)  MgO (s) d. Pb(NO3)2 (aq)  PbO (s) + NO2 (g) + O2 (g)
b. Al (s) + N2 (g)  AlN (s) e. CH3CH2OH (l) + O2 (g)  CO2 (g) + H2O (l)
c. NaOH (aq) + H3PO4 (aq)  Na3PO4 (aq) + H2O (l)

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 Chemistry Handout 7 REF #: 007

2. Convert the following word equations to chemical equations and then balance the equations. (Include state Symbols)
a) Hydrogen + Chlorine  Hydrogen Chloride f) Potassium Chlorate  Potassium Chloride + Oxygen
b) Oxygen  Ozone (MnO2 as catalyst)
c) Sodium + Water  Sodium Hydroxide + Hydrogen gas g) Nitrogen + Hydrogen  Ammonia
d) Aluminum + Chlorine  Aluminum Chloride (conditions: Fe catalyst, 500oC, 200 atm, reversible
e) Iron + Copper Sulphate  Copper + Iron Sulphate reaction)

Chemical Reactions

Chemical reactions are processes in which substances change into other substances. You know a chemical
reaction takes place if one or more of these occur: 

 Color changes - Different combinations of molecules reflect light differently. A color change indicates a change
in molecules. 
 
 Heat content changes - In all chemical reactions, the heat content of the reactants and the heat content of the
products is never the same. Sometimes the difference is great and can be easily detected. At other times, the
difference is slight and more difficult to detect. 
 
 Gas produced - Whenever a gaseous product forms in a liquid solution, bubbles can be seen. A colorless gas
produced in a reaction of solids is much harder to detect. 
 
 Precipitate forms - Precipitates are insoluble products formed by a reaction taking place in a liquid solution. This
insoluble product will eventually settle to the bottom, but might immediately appear by turning the clear
solution cloudy.

Types of Chemical Reactions

1. Combination/Synthesis- occurs when two or more substances chemically combine to form a single substance.
A + B  AB
Note:
- Direct union of two elements will produce a binary compound
- Metallic oxides and carbon dioxide react to produce carbonates
- Binary salts and oxygen react to produce a chlorate
-
- When a metal reacts with a non-metal, the result is often a salt
- When the oxides of metals react with water, a metal hydroxide is produced

2. Decomposition- occurs when a compound splits up into simpler substances usually owing to the action of heat.
AB  A + B
Note:
- All binary compounds break down into their compounds
- All carbonates break down into oxide and carbon dioxide
- Chlorate (ClO3) will break down to binary salt and oxygen.

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 Chemistry Handout 7 REF #: 007

3. Simple Displacement/ Single Displacement- occurs when an element in its free state takes the place of another element
in a compound. Simple displacement reactions may be divided into two types:
- A metal may displace the ions of another metal or the hydrogen ions of an acid
A + BX  AX + B

- A non-metal may displace the ions of another non-metal

A + YB  YA + B
Note:

A simple displacement reaction will only take place if a more reactive element is replacing a less reactive one. Usually a
single displacement reaction consists of a solid being added to a solution. Single displacement reactions are not
reversible.

4. Double Displacement/Ionic Precipitation- Occurs when two compounds exchange radicals. Usually one of the products
is insoluble and forms a precipitate.
AX + BY  AY + BX
Note:
- In order for a double displacement to take place, both of the reactants must be soluble in water.
- If both reactants are soluble, we must look at the products. One product must be soluble and the other must be
insoluble. The insoluble product is the precipitate that forms when the reaction takes place. Usually, a precipitate is solid.
- Usually a double displacement reaction will take place when two solutions are mixed together. Double displacement
reactions are not reversible.

5. Neutralization Reaction- occurs when an acid and a base reacts producing a salt and water.

Acid + Base  Salt + Water

6. Redox Reactions- occurs when one reactant is reduced and the other is oxidized.

7. Reversible Reactions- occurs when the direction of a chemical change can be easily reversed by changing the conditions
under which the reaction takes place.

A + B ↔C + D

Note:

In a reversible reaction, if the products are not separated from each other or from the reactants, then it is possible for
the reaction to proceed in both directions at the same time such that the system always contains mixture of both
reactants and products.

Dynamic equilibrium is reached when the rate of the forward reaction equals the rate of the backward reaction.
Dynamic equilibrium can only be achieved in a sealed system where no substances can enter or leave.

A. BAKSH
Chemistry Handout 7 REF #: 007

A. BAKSH
Chemistry Handout 7 REF #: 007

A. BAKSH