Activity 7

Types of Chemical Reactions

Objectives:
At the end of the exercise, the students must be able to:
1. determine the type of reaction involved in the:
a. conversion of copper metal to cupric oxide
b. conversion of copper metal to cupric nitrate
c. conversion of cupric nitrate to cupric hydroxide
d. conversion of cupric hydroxide to cupric oxide
e. conversion of cupric oxide to cupric chloride
f. conversion of cupric chloride to copper
2. identify the products of chemical reactions.
3. summarizes the chemical reactions in terms of a balanced chemical equation.

Chemical reactions occur when the original substances are transformed into new ones. This is
brought about by the breaking or making of chemical bonds.

Chemical equations represent what transpires in a chemical reaction. Products have to be identified
and established before an equation for a reaction can be written. Products are identified by their
chemical and physical properties as well as by analysis.

In the decomposition of potassium chlorate (KClO 3), for example, oxygen and not chlorine gas is
produced. 2 KClO3 → 2 KCl + 3 O2

Oxygen may be established by its properties: colorless, odorless gas that supports combustion.
Chlorine on the other hand, is a pale yellow-green gas with an irritating odor and it does not support
combustion.

In this exercise, you will observe that in some cases, gases are produced, precipitates are formed, or
color changes occur during the reaction. These are indications that a chemical reaction has just
occurred.

Ordinary chemical reactions may be classified according to the overall change. The classification is
as follows:

1. Combination/ Synthesis or Direct Union. This type involves the formation of a single product
from two or more reactants.
Example: 4Fe + O2 → 2Fe2O3
Iron oxygen iron (III) oxide

2. Decomposition or Analysis. When a reactant is broken down into two or more products,
decomposition is involved.
Example: CaCO3 → CaO + CO2
Calcium carbonate calcium oxide carbon dioxide

3. Single Replacement or Substitution. A more reactive element displaces a less reactive element
from its compound.
Example: Zn + CuSO4 → ZnSO4 + Cu
Zinc copper sulfate zinc sulfate copper

4. Double Decomposition/Replacement. This reaction involves an exchange of positive ions (or

negative ions)
Example: AgNO3 + HCl → AgCl + HNO3
Silver nitrate hydrochloric acid silver chloride nitric acid
5. Oxidation-Reduction Reactions (Redox). Electrons are transferred from one reactant to another.
Example: 2 Ca + O2 → 2 CaO
Calcium oxygen calcium oxide

In the reaction, a calcium atom becomes a calcium ion by losing two electrons (oxidation process)
while an oxygen molecule becomes oxide ions by gaining two electrons (reduction process) before
calcium oxide is formed.

Procedure

A. Changing copper to cupric oxide

1. Obtain a small strip of copper from the counter. Take note of its properties, its characteristics,
color, kind of surface, and other physical characteristics.
2. Heat the copper strip strongly in the burner flame for about 5 minutes. Compare the
properties of the heated copper with that of the unheated copper. What is the black
substance formed when copper is heated? Write the balanced equation for the reaction
involved and identify the type of reaction illustrated.

B. Changing copper to cupric nitrate

1. Place 1 piece of copper strip into a 50-mL or 100-mL beaker.
2. Carefully add 1 mL conc. HNO3 and cover the beaker immediately with a watch glass. Record
what happened to the copper strip and the color of the gas evolved. Caution: Do not inhale
the poisonous NO2 gas! What is the color of the resulting solution? Write the balanced
chemical equation for the reaction and identify the type of reaction. Set aside the solution for
Procedure C-1.

C. Changing cupric nitrate to cupric hydroxide

1. Test the solution set aside in Procedure B-2 with litmus paper.
2. Put ice water in a 250-mL beaker. Immerse the beaker containing the solution from Procedure
B2 and add 6N NaOH drop by drop to the solution, stirring continuously until the solution
becomes basic to litmus. What is formed? Record your observations and identify the
substance formed. Write the balanced equation for the reaction and identify the type of
reaction involved. Filter. Reserve the precipitates for Procedure D-1.

D. Changing cupric hydroxide to cupric oxide

1. Add 20 mL of tap water to the precipitate formed from Procedure C-2 above.
2. Gently heat the mixture to boiling point with constant stirring until the precipitate changes to
brownish black. Filter and wash the resulting solid with 10 mL portions of hot water. What is
the brownish black solid formed? Write the balanced equation for the reaction and identify the
type of reaction involved. Save the precipitate for Procedure E-1.

E. Changing cupric oxide to cupric chloride

1. To the precipitate in the filter paper from Procedure D-2, add 6M HCl drop by drop while
catching the resulting liquid with a clean small beaker.
2. Continue the procedure until the precipitate has dissolved. What was produced when the
precipitate was dissolved? Write the balanced equation for the reaction and identify the type
of reaction involved. Set aside the solution for Procedure F-1.

F. Changing Cupric Chloride to Copper

1. Immerse one end of a thin aluminum wire into the solution from Procedure E-2. Take note of
the properties of aluminum before dipping it into the solution. What happened to the surface
of aluminum after sometime? What is formed?
2. Compare the color of the deposit on the surface of aluminum wire with the original copper.
Write the balanced equation for the reaction and identify the type of reaction involved.

Activity 7
 Types of Chemical Reactions

Group No. : __________ Group Members:

Class Section : __________ ______________________________
Class Schedule : __________ ______________________________
Date : __________ ______________________________
Score : __________ ______________________________
______________________________

A. Changing Cu to CuO
COLOR FORMULA

Unheated copper _______________ _______________

Heated copper _______________ _______________
Type of chemical reaction: _______________________________________
Balanced chemical equation: _______________________________________

B. Changing Cu to Cu(NO3)2
Color of the gas produced: _______________
Name of the gas: _______________
Color of the solution produced: _______________
Formula of the substance responsible for the color of the solution: ____________
Type of chemical reaction: _______________________________________
Balanced chemical equation: _______________________________________

C. Changing Cu(NO3)2 to Cu(OH)2

Color of the precipitate formed: _______________
Formula of the precipitate: _______________
Type of chemical reaction: _______________________________________
Balanced chemical equation: _______________________________________

D. Changing Cu(OH)2 to CuO

Color of the precipitate formed: _______________
Formula of the precipitate: _______________
Type of chemical reaction: _______________________________________
Balanced chemical equation: _______________________________________

E. Changing CuO to CuCl2

Color of solution: _______________
Formula of the substance responsible for the color of the solution: _____________
Type of chemical reaction: _______________
Balanced chemical equation: _______________________________________

F. Changing CuCl2 to Cu
Observable result on the aluminum wire: _________________________________
Formula of the substance formed on the aluminum wire: _____________
Type of chemical reaction: _______________________________________
Balanced chemical equation: _______________________________________