Chemical

Reactions
General and Inorganic Chemistry
Focus Activity

What is the LAW OF CONSERVATION

OF MASS?
Chemical Reactions

• A chemical reaction is a
process in which reactants
react chemically and convert
into products by chemical
transformation.
Chemical Reactions
• The process of making pizza involves some physical
changes (like chopping vegetables).
• The processes used by yeast in the dough or by the gas
stove to bake the pizza are chemical changes.
CHEMICAL REACTIONS

A chemical reaction is a rearrangement of

atoms in which some of the original
bonds are broken and new bonds are
formed to give different chemical
structures.
In a chemical reaction, atoms are neither
created, nor destroyed.

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Evidence of chemical change

Four indicators of
chemical change are:
1. Formation of new gas
2. Formation of new
solid
3. Release of energy
(heat or light)
4. Color change
Reactants and products
• In chemical reactions, you start with reactants that
are combined to make products.
• The reactants are the starting substances.
• The products are the new substances
which result from the chemical reaction.
Reactants and products
• In the reaction, methane (a natural gas) is burned or
combusted.
• Some energy is added to get the reaction started.
Reaction symbols

• The small symbols in the

parentheses (s, l, g, aq) next
to each chemical formula
indicate the phase of each
substance in the reaction.
 Other symbols in chemical reactions

• (s) = solid
• (l) = liquid
• (g) = gas
• (aq) = aqueous solution (the substance is dissolved in H2O)
• “+” separates two or more reactants or products
• “” yield sign separates reactants from products
 Why use Chemical Equations?
1. Shorthand way of describing a reaction
2. Provides information about the reaction
• Formulas of reactants and products
• States of reactants and products
• Relative numbers of reactant and product molecules
that are required
• Can be used to determine amounts of the reactants and
products
CHEMICAL EQUATIONS

 A chemical equation is a shorthand expression

for a chemical reaction.

Word equation:
Aluminum combines with ferric oxide to form
iron and aluminum oxide.
Chemical equation:

Al + Fe2O3  Fe + Al2O3

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CHEMICAL EQUATIONS

 Reactants are separated from products by an

arrow.

Al + Fe2O3  Fe + Al2O3
 Coefficients are placed in front of substances
to balance the equation.

2 Al + Fe2O3  2 Fe + Al2O3
Subscripts
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CHEMICAL EQUATIONS

 Reaction conditions are placed over the arrow.


Al + Fe2O3  Fe + Al2O3
heat
 The physical state of the substances are
indicated by the symbols (s), (l), (g), (aq).


2 Al (s) + Fe2O3 (s)  2 Fe (l) + Al2O3 (s)
solid liquid
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Law of conservation of mass
• Antoine Laurent Lavoisier, established an important principal based
on his experiments with chemical reactions.
• He stated that the total mass of the products of a reaction is equal
to the total mass of the reactants.
• The law of conservation of mass holds true for even a burning
mass of wood.
 Law of conservation of mass

• The combined mass of the burning wood and oxygen is

converted into carbon dioxide and water.
 Conservation of mass
• Lavoisier showed that a
closed system must be
used when studying
chemical reactions.
• When chemicals are
reacted in a closed
container, you can show
that the mass before and
after the reaction is the
same.
Not All Properties are Conserved
During Chemical Reactions!

CONSERVED NOT CONSERVED

Mass Color
Types of atoms Physical state (solid,
Number of each atom liquid, gas)
Volume
Number of moles of
reactants/products
How are reactions written?
• When a chemical reaction is written using chemical
formulas and symbols, it is called a chemical equation.
Numbers in equations
Chemical equations

• An arrow is always included between reactants and

products.
• It means “to produce” or “to yield.”

to produce

Reactants Products

“Methane combines with oxygen gas to produce

carbon dioxide gas and water vapor.”
Balancing equations
• The law conservation of mass is applied by balancing
the number and type of atoms on either side of the
equation.
Balancing equations
• Counting atoms is necessary to balance an equation.

How many carbon atoms?

How many hydrogen atoms?

How many oxygen atoms?

Balancing chemical equations
• A balanced chemical equation has the same number of
each type of atom on the product side and the
reactant side.
• To balance the equation, we add another water
molecule to the product side and add another oxygen
molecule to the reactant side.
• We can practice balancing equations using CPO
periodic table tiles and pencil and paper.
Balancing by Trial and Error/Inspection
Method
• Write all reactants on the left and all products on the right side of
the equation arrow. Make sure you write the correct formula for
each element

Reactant Side Product Side

H 2 + O 2 → H 2O
H H
O O
Balancing by Trial and Error/Inspection
Method
• Then list the number of atoms of each element on each side.

Reactant Side Product Side

H 2 + O 2 → H 2O
2 H H 2
2 O O 1
Balancing by Trial and Error/Inspection
Method
• Think of a number that when multiplied to the number of atoms in
each side of the reaction will make it the same number (coefficient).
• Remember, a compound will get the same coefficient

Reactant Side Product Side

2 H 2 + O 2 → 2 H 2O
2x2=2 H H 2 x 2= 4
2x1=2 O O 1x2=2
Balancing by Trial and Error/Inspection
Method
• It is often easiest to start balancing with an element that appears only
once on each side of the arrow. These elements must have the same
coefficient. Next balance elements that appear only once on each side
but have different numbers of atoms. Finally balance elements that are in
two formulas in the same side.
Reactant Side Product Side

H 2 + O 2 → H 2O
2x2=2 H H 2 x 2= 4
2x1=2 O O 1x2=2
Balancing by Trial and Error/Inspection
Method
Tips:
• In balancing polyatomic ions, if the polyatomic ion appears
in both side of the reaction, treat them as 1 atom
2 Fe(NO3)3 + 3 (NH4)2CO3 → Fe2(CO3)3 + 6 NH4NO3

1x2=2 Fe Fe 2
3x2=6 NO3 NO3 1x6=6
2x3=6 NH4 NH4 1x6=6
1x3=3 CO3 CO3 3
Solving Problems
In this reaction, chalcocite (a mineral)
reacts with oxygen in the presence of
heat. The products are a type of
copper oxide and sulfur dioxide.
Balance this equation:
Cu2S + O2 → Cu2O + SO2
Solving Problems
4. Solution- Trial and error
 TYPES OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS
Chemical reactions are can be classified into five
types: Based on what the atoms do
Examples:

AgNO H22SS 
AgNO33 ++ H  Ag
Ag22SS ++ HNO
HNO33

Al(OH)3 + H SO44 
H22SO Al
Al22(SO
(SO44))33++HH2O
2O

FeFe
3O34O+
4 +
HH2 2 Fe + HH2O
2O

C4C
H410 2 2
H10+ +OO  CO22 + HH
2O2O
Examples:

2 AgNO H22SS 
AgNO33 ++ H  Ag
Ag22SS ++ 2HNO
HNO3 3

Al(OH)3 3++3 H2SO4  Al2(SO4)3 + 6H2H

2 Al(OH) O2O

FeFe
3O3O
4 4+ +
4HH22 
 3Fe
Fe ++ H42H
O2O

2 C4C
H410
H10+ + O22 
13 O  8CO
CO2 2+ + H10
2OH2O
REMEMBER THE ATOM’S FORMAL
CHARGE

REMEMBER THE CRIS-CROSS METHOD

Synthesis reactions
• In a synthesis reaction, two or more
substances combine to form a new
compound.
 SYNTHESIS or
COMBINATION
 In these reactions, 2 elements or compounds
combine to form another compound.

A + B  AB
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Synthesis reaction

A + B -----> AB

H2+ O2 (g) -----> H2O (l)

Remember to balance!
2 H2 + O2 -----> 2H2O
 Synthesis reactions
• The process of creating large molecules from small
ones is called polymerization.
 Decomposition reactions
• A chemical reaction in which a single compound is
broken down to produce two or more smaller
compounds is called a decomposition reaction.
 DECOMPOSITION
 In these reactions, a compound breaks up to form 2
elements or simpler compound.

AB  A +B
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Decomposition reaction
AB -energy-> A + B

2 HgO3 (s) -heat-> 2Hg (s) + O2 (g)

2 H2O (l) -electricity-> 2 H2 (g) + O2 (g)

 SINGLE
REPLACEMENT
 In these reactions, a more reactive element
replaces a less reactive element in a compound.

A + BC  B + AC
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Single Displacement
• In a single-displacement reaction, one element
replaces a similar element in a compound.
Single Displacement
Double Displacement
• In a double-displacement reaction, ions from two
compounds in solution exchange places to produce two
new compounds.
• One of the compounds formed is usually a precipitate
that settles out of the solution, a gas that bubbles out
of the solution, or a molecular compound such as
water.
 DOUBLE
REPLACEMENT
 In these reactions, two compounds combine to form
two new compounds.
 The cation from one compound replaces the cation in
another compound.

+ +

AB + CD  AD + CB 50
Double Displacement

AB + CD ---> AC + BD

Pb(NO3)2 + 2KI ---> PbI2 + 2KNO3

Double displacement reactions

• A precipitate is a new solid

product that comes out of a
solution in a chemical
reaction.
• The formation of a cloudy
precipitate is evidence that a
double-displacement
reaction has occurred.
How do you determine if one of the products of a double
replacement reaction will be a precipitate?
• Use the solubility rules….

Soluble compounds
These compounds break down when put in water.

Example: In water, NaCl  Na1+ and Cl1-.

We say that NaCl…

 has dissolved.
 is soluble.
 forms an aqueous solution (aq).
The Solubility Rules
Insoluble compounds
These compounds do NOT
break down when put in
water.

Example: In water, CaCO3 does

NOT break down into Ca2+
and CO32- ions.

The CaCO3 stays as a solid, (s)

or (ppt). Seashells are made of CaCO3!

This is fortunate for many sea-

creatures!
Classify these chemical reactions

1) HCl + NaOH  H2O + NaCl

2) 2KNO3(s)  2KNO2(s) + O2(g)
3) 2Ag + S  Ag2S
4) MgCO3(s)  MgO(s) + CO2(g)
5) Cl2 + 2KBr  2KCl + Br2
Classify these chemical reactions

1) HCl + NaOH  H2O + NaCl 1) Double

replacement
2) 2KNO3(s)  2KNO2(s) + O2(g) (water forming)
3) 2Ag + S  Ag2S 2) Decomposition
3) Synthesis
4) MgCO3(s)  MgO(s) + CO2(g) 4) Decomposition
5) Cl2 + 2KBr  2KCl + Br2 5) Single
Replacement
 Let’s React!
• Synthesis- what will be on the produce side?

• 2Na + Cl2 → 2 NaCl (formation of table salt)

• Decomposition- what 2 elements/compounds are products?

• 2 H2O2 → 2 H2O + O2
• Single Replacement/displacement

• Zn + 2 HCl → ZnCl2 + H2

• Double Replacement/Displacement

• HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O

Focus Activity:

Describe in your own words why you think the

different types of chemical reactions could be called
“The Get Together”, “The Break Up”, “The Cheater”,
and “The Swap”.
How to make a reaction occur…
•Activation Energy: the minimum amount of energy needed to start a chemical reaction

Rates of Chemical Reactions

•Surface Area – The more surface area that is exposed, the faster the reaction will occur-
Example- chewing your food breaks it into smaller pieces with more surface area. It takes less
time to digest your food.

•Temperature- The higher the temperature

the faster the particles move. This means
they interact more often and have more
Energy. Example: Storing Milk in the fridge slows down reactions to stay fresher longer.
 More ways to control a reaction
• Concentration- the amount of substance in a given volume. Increasing the
concentration allows for more particles to react.
• Catalyst- material that increases the rate of
reaction by lowering the activation energy

• Enzymes- Cells in your body that acts as catalysts.

• Inhibitor- material used to decrease the rate of a reaction

Enthalpy: A Measure of the Heat Evolved or Absorbed
in a Reaction
• Chemical reactions can be exothermic (they emit thermal
energy when they occur).
• Chemical reactions can be endothermic (they absorb thermal
energy when they occur).
• The amount of thermal energy emitted or absorbed by a
chemical reaction, under conditions of constant pressure
(which are common for most everyday reactions), can be
quantified with a function called enthalpy.
Enthalpy: A Measure of the Heat Evolved or Absorbed
in a Reaction

• We define the enthalpy of reaction, ΔHrxn,

as the amount of thermal energy (or heat)
that flows when a reaction occurs at
constant pressure.
 Sign of ΔHrxn

• The sign of ΔHrxn (positive or negative)

depends on the direction in which thermal
energy flows when the reaction occurs.
• Energy flowing out of the chemical system is
like a withdrawal and carries a negative sign.
• Energy flowing into the system is like a
deposit and carries a positive sign.
Exothermic and Endothermic reactions
• (a) In an exothermic reaction, energy is released
into the surroundings. (b) In an endothermic
reaction, energy is absorbed from the surroundings.