CHEMISTRY

Q: What is a chemical reaction; give at least 4 examples of chemical reaction from

our daily life?

Answer: A chemical reaction is the process of changing one set of substances

into another by the combination of two or more elements. The two types of chemical reactions are spontaneous, meaning they need no outside influence to occur, and non-spontaneous, meaning they require some sort of energy to trigger the reaction.

1. Combination:
o

Combination reactions, also known as synthesis reactions, involve the combination of two or more substances into a single new substance: A + B ---> AB Many metal oxides, for example, absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air to form carbonates: CaO(s) + CO2(g) ---> CaCO3(s)

2. Decomposition:
o

Decomposition reactions represent the reverse of the combination process in that one substance breaks down into two or more substances: AB ---> A + B Water, or H2O, for example, decomposes into its constituent elements when subjected to an electric current: 2 H2O(l) ---> 2 H2(g) + O2(g)

3. Single-Replacement:
o

Single-replacement reactions occur when an element replaces one of the elements in a compound:

A + BX ---> AX + B where X represents the atom being exchanged. Many metals, for example, react with acids to produce hydrogen and a metal salt: Zn(s) + 2 HCl(aq) ---> ZnCl2(aq) + H2(g)

4. Double-Replacement:
o

Double-replacement reactions involve two compounds exchanging elements: AB + CD ---> AD + CB Double-replacement reactions commonly occur when one of the products is not soluble and precipitates out of the reaction solution as a solid: CaCl2(aq) + Na2CO3(aq) ---> CaCO3(s) + 2 NaCl(aq)

5. Combustion:
o

Combustion reactions occur when substances, particularly those containing carbon, burn in the presence of oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water: CxHy + O2 ---> CO2(g) + H2O(g) Methane, for example, with chemical formula CH4 combusts as: CH4(g) + O2(g) ---> CO2(g) + 2 H2O(g)

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