5.

2 – Classifying chemical Reactions

Decomposition Reactions:

When a single reactant breaks apart to form several products

e.g XY > X + Y

Combination Reactions:

Occurs when two reactants to combine a single product.

e.g X + Y > XY

Precipitation Reactions:

When two clear, soluble solutions are mixed, they form an insoluble solid, ‘precipitating’ out of the
solution. The product is known as the precipitate. Soluble means it can dissolve.

Precipitates appear as cloudy, murky substances.

Ionic Compounds:

Most precipitation reactions occur because solutions of different ionic compounds have been mixed.

They contain positive ions (cations) and negative ions (anions).

Cations have lost electrons, thus becoming positive charged. Anions have gained electrons, being
negative.

Ions occur in a set ratio:



Eg: Na+ and CO32- form an ionic compound. As

sodium has +1 charge, there must be two
sodium ions for every carbonate ion.

Na2CO3
Polyatomic Ions:

Ions with more than one atom, either gaining or losing an atom. These include:

+
NH ammonium
4
-
OH hydroxide
2-
CO carbonate
3
2-
SO sulfate
4
 -
NO nitrate
3
3-
PO phosphate
4

Naming Ionic Solutions:

Name the positively charged cation (name of metal) before the negatively charged anion (suffix “–
ide” added to end).

E.g. Na CO – sodium carbonate -> no need for prefixes as sodium always has + charge and
2 3
carbonate always has 2- charge.

Predicting Precipitation Reactions:

We can use the solubility table to help predict the outcome of a precipitation reaction.:

For example, the table states all potassium ionic

compounds are soluble and therefore potassium chloride
(KCl) is soluble, as well as silver nitrate being soluble, so
the two mixed would form a precipitate

Reactions with Acids:

Neutralisation Reactions:

An acid is a substance that releases hydrogen ions, being pH below 7 and corrosive. A base produces
hydroxide ions when dissolved, where the solutions is called alkaline. Bases have pH above 7 and are
caustic.
Acid + base > salt + water

Acids and Metals:

Acid + metal > salt + hydrogen

Acids and Carbonates:

Acid + carbonate salt > water + carbon dioxide

5.3 – Rates of Chemical Reactions:

Fast and slow chemical reactions:

The rate of reaction is the speed at which a chemical reaction proceeds. Fast rates of reactions
include combustions, as they combust as soon as contact with oxygen. Slow rates of reaction include
rusting, fermentation, ripening etc.

Controlling the rate of chemical reactions:

The rate of reaction can be increased or decreased depending on factors that affect it. These factors
include:
Temperature – Increases/decreases the speed and impact of particle movement, colliding more
particles, thus speeding/slowing the reaction

Concentration – The amount of a particular substance present in volume, for example, adding more
particles in the reaction space will increase the speed, as there are more particles to collide into each
other.

Agitation – Stirring reactants, known as agitating, speeds up the reaction. It removes build-up of
product surrounding the reactants, so more collision is happening.

Surface area of reactants – Cutting up/powdering the reactants increases the amount of substance
to react, as it isn’t protecting the reactant inside. This exposes more particles to be collided with and
so speeding the reaction.

Catalysts (chemical helpers) – Catalysts are chemical helpers that speed up the reaction, not being
used up in the process. They reduce the amount of energy required to convert reactants into
products. They also make it easier for reactant molecules to collide and form products.

Enzymes – Being biological catalysts, they are natural molecules that hold reactants together until
rearranged to form products. They greatly help increase the rate of reaction. They help in numerous
ways such as doing the factors mentioned before for us such as increasing surface area and more.
5.4 – Balancing Chemical Equations:

Law of Conservation of Mass:

States that atoms cannot be created or destroyed, they can only be rearranged to form the
products.