Chemical Equations &

Reactions

Chemistry A
 Chemical Reactions
You should be able to

Classify reactions by type.

Write a balanced molecular equation, complete ionic equation,

and a net ionic equation.

Predict products of reactions given the chemical names of the

reactants.
 Organize Your Thoughts
Chemical
reactions

Chemical Chemical
equations equations

• Synthesis
• Balancing equations • Decomposition
• Single replacement
• Predicting products • Double replacement
from reactants • Combustion

Packard, Jacobs, Marshall, Chemistry Pearson AGS Globe, page 175

 Chemical Reaction

A process in which at least one new

substance is produced as a result of
chemical change.
 A Chemical Reaction
Reactants Products
 Describing a Chemical Reaction
Indications of a Chemical Reaction

– Evolution of heat, light, and/or sound

– Production of a gas

– Formation of a precipitate

– Color change
 Signs of Chemical Reactions
There are five main signs that indicate a chemical reaction has taken place:

release
input
change in color change in odor production of new input or release difficult to reverse
gases or vapor of energy
 Writing a Chemical Equation

Chemical symbols give a “before-and-after”

picture of a chemical reaction
Reactants Products
MgO + C CO + Mg

magnesium oxide to form carbon monoxide

reacts with carbon and magnesium
 Learning Check E3
12 oz of dough, 4 oz mushrooms, 12 slices
pepperoni, 8 oz cheese and 5 oz tomato sauce
are used to make a pizza. Write a recipe in
words for putting together a pizza.

How would you write the recipe as an

equation?
 Solution E3

Example: Combine 12 oz dough + 4 oz

mushrooms + 12 slices pepperoni + 8
oz cheese + 5 oz tomato sauce and heat
30 minutes at 350°C to produce 1 pizza

12 oz dough + 4 oz mshrm
+ 12 pep + 8 oz chse 1 pizza
+ 5 oz tom sauce
 Chemical Equations
aluminum oxide

Depict the kind of reactants and product

products
and their relative amounts in a reaction.

4 Al(s) + 3 O2(g) 2 Al2O3(s)

The letters (s), (g), and (l) are the

physical states of compounds.

The numbers in the front are called

stoichiometric coefficients.
coefficients
 Chemical Equations
aluminum oxide
sandpaper

4 Al(s) + 3 O2(g) 2 Al2O3(s)

4 g Al + 3 g O2 yield 2 g Al2O3

This equation means:

4 Al atoms + 3 O2 molecules yield 2 molecules of Al2O3

or
4 Al moles + 3 O2 moles yield 2 moles of Al2O3
4 mol Al@27g/mol 3 mol O2@32g/mol 2 mol Al2O3@102g/mol
108 g + 96 g = 204 g
 Chemical Equations

Because the same atoms are present

in a reaction at the beginning (reactants)
and at the end (products), the amount
of matter in a system does not change.

The Law of Conservation of Matter

20%
100% 100%
Chemical
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 Chemical Equations

Because of the principle of the conservation of matter,

matter

An equation must be balanced.

balanced

It must have the same number of atoms

of the same kind on both sides.

Lavoisier, 1788
 Characteristics of Chemical Equations

• The equation must represent known

facts.

• The equation must contain the correct

formulas for the reactants and products.

• The law of conservation of mass must

be satisfied.
 Chemical Equations
• Reactants – the substances that exist before a
chemical change (or reaction) takes place.

• Products – the new substance(s) that are formed

during the chemical changes.

• CHEMICAL EQUATION indicates the reactants and

products of a reaction.

REACTANTS  PRODUCTS
 Word Equations
• A WORD EQUATION describes chemical change using
the names of the reactants and products.

Write the word equation for the reaction of methane gas

with oxygen gas to form carbon dioxide and water.

methane + oxygen carbon dioxide + water

Reactant Product
CH4 + 2 O2 CO2 + 2 H2O
Unbalanced and Balanced Equations

Cl Cl H H
Cl H
H
Cl Cl Cl
Cl
H
H

H2 + Cl2  HCl (unbalanced) H2 + Cl2  2 HCl (balanced)

reactants products reactants products

H 2 1 H 2 2
Cl 2 1 Cl 2 2
 Visualizing a Chemical Reaction
2 Na + Cl 2 2 NaCl

10 mole Na
___ 5 mole Cl2
___ 10
? mole NaCl
___
 Visualizing a Chemical Reaction
2 Na + Cl 2 2 NaCl
 Meaning of Chemical Formula
Chemical
Symbol Meaning Composition

H2O One molecule Two H atoms and one O atom

of water:

2 H 2O Two molecules Four H atoms and two O atoms

of water:

H 2O 2 One molecule Two H atoms and two O atoms

of hydrogen
peroxide:
 Balancing Chemical Equations
Balanced Equation – one in which the number of
atoms of each element as a reactant is equal to the
number of atoms of that element as a product

What is the relationship between conservation of mass and

the fact that a balanced equation will always have the same
number of atoms of each element on both sides of an equation?

Determine whether the following equation is balanced.

2 Na + H2O  2 NaOH + H2
2 Na + 2 H2O  2 NaOH + H2
 Balancing Chemical Equations
• Write a word equation for the reaction.

• Write the correct formulas for all reactants

and products.

• Determine the coefficients that make the

equation balance.
 Balancing Chemical Equations
Other examples
NO(g) + O2(g)  NO2(g) is it balanced?

Is this balanced? NO(g) + O(g)  NO2(g)

Is this OK?

Is this balanced? NO(g) + ½ O2(g)  NO2(g)

Is this OK?
 Balancing Chemical Equations
An important point to remember
2 NO(g) + O2(g)  2NO2(g)

The 2 to the left of NO(g) and NO2(g) refers to the number

of molecules present in the balanced equation.

It is a “multiplier” for every atom in the molecule.

The subscript 2 in O2 (g) and NO2(g) refers to the number

of atoms of this type that are present in each molecules

(or ionic compound).
Write a balanced equation for the reaction between chlorine
and sodium bromide to produce bromine and sodium chloride.

1) Write a word equation for the reaction.

chlorine + sodium bromide  bromine + sodium chloride

2) Write the correct formulas for all reactants and products.

Cl2 + NaBr  Br2 + NaCl

3) Determine the coefficients that make the equation balance.

Cl2 + 2 NaBr  Br2 + 2 NaCl

 Write the balanced equation for the reaction between
aluminum sulfate and calcium chloride to form a white
precipitate of calcium sulfate.

1) Write a word equation for the reaction.

? ?
aluminum sulfate + calcium chloride  calcium sulfate + aluminum chloride

2) Write the correct formulas for all reactants and products.

Al2(SO4)3 + CaCl2  CaSO4 + AlCl3

3) Determine the coefficients that make the equation balance.

Al2(SO4)3 + 3 CaCl2  3 CaSO4 + 2 AlCl3

CH4 + 2 O2  CO2 + 2 H2O

Reactants Products
1 C atom 1 C atom
4 H atoms 4 H atoms
4 O atoms 4 O atoms
Reactants  Products
+

C(s) + O2(g) CO2(g)

carbon oxygen carbon dioxide
Reactants Product
1 carbon atom 1 carbon atom
2 oxygen atoms 2 oxygen atoms

catalyst – speeds up reaction

+ Pt

2 H2(g) + O2(g) Pt
2 H2O (l)
hydrogen oxygen water
Reactants Product
2 hydrogen atoms
4 2 hydrogen atoms
4
2 oxygen atoms 1 oxygen atoms
2
Unbalanced
 Showing Phases in
Chemical Equations

H2O(s) H2O(l) H2O(g)

Solid Phase – the substance is relatively rigid and has a

definite volume and shape. NaCl(s)

Liquid Phase – the substance has a definite volume, but is

able to change shape by flowing. H2O(l)

Gaseous Phase – the substance has no definite volume or

shape, and it shows little response to gravity. Cl2(g)
Additional Symbols Used in Chemical Equations

“Yields”; indicates result of reaction

Used to indicate a reversible reaction

A reactant or product in the solid state;

also used to indicate a precipitate
(s)
Alternative to (s), but used only to indicate a precipitate

A reactant or product in the liquid state

A reactant or product in an aqueous solution

(l) (dissolved in water)

A reactant or product in the gaseous state

(aq)

(g)
 Additional Symbols Used in Chemical Equations

Alternative to (g), but used only to indicate a gaseous

product

Reactants are heated
2 atm
Pressure at which reaction is carried out, in this case 2 atm
pressure
Pressure at which reaction is carried out exceeds normal
atmospheric pressure
0 oC
Temperature at which reaction is carried out, in this case 0
o
C
MnO2

Formula of catalyst, in this case manganese (IV) oxide,

used to alter the rate of the reaction
Types of Chemical Reactions
Synthesis (Combination) reaction A + B  AB

Decomposition reaction AB  A + B

A
Single-replacement reaction A + BC  AC + B
element compound compound element

B
Double-replacement reaction AB + CD  AD + CB
compound compound compound compound

Neutralization reaction HX + BOH  BX + HOH

acid base salt water

Combustion reaction (of a hydrocarbon) CH + O2  CO2 + H2O

Polymerization Polymer = monomer + monomer + …

A
use activity series to predict
B
driving force…water, gas, or precipitate
Types of Chemical Reactions
Synthesis (Combination) reaction A + B  AB
Decomposition reaction AB  A + B
A
Single-replacement reaction A + BC  AC + B
B
Double-replacement reaction AB + CD  AD + CB

Neutralization reaction HX + BOH  BX + HOH

Combustion reaction (of a hydrocarbon) CH + O2  CO2 + H2O

Polymerization Polymer = monomer + monomer + …

use activity series to predict

A

B
driving force…water, gas, or precipitate
 Synthesis Reaction

Direct combination reaction (Synthesis)

2 Na + Cl2  2 NaCl

Na Cl

Cl
Na

General form: A + B  AB
element or element or compound
compound compound
 Synthesis Reaction

Direct combination reaction (Synthesis)

2 Na + Cl2  2 NaCl

Na Cl Na+ Cl -

Cl Cl - Na+
Na

General form: A + B  AB
element or element or compound
compound compound
Decomposition Reaction

Decomposition reaction
2 H 2O 2 H2 + O2

H
O
H
+
H
O
H

General form: AB A + B
compound two or more elements
or compounds
Single and Double Replacement
Reactions
Single-replacement reaction

Mg + CuSO4  MgSO4 + Cu

General form:
A + BC  AC + B

Double-replacement reaction

CaCO3 + 2 HCl  CaCl2 + H2CO3

General form:
AB + CD  AD + CB
Double Replacement Reaction

K2CO3 (aq) + BaCl2 (aq) 2 KCl (aq) + BaCO3 (s)

Potassium carbonate Barium chloride Potassium chloride Barium carbonate
 Synthesis Reactions
Photosynthesis
6 CO2 + 6 H2O C6H12O6 + 6 O2

Formation of water
2 H2 + O2 2 H 2O

Formation of salt
2 Na + Cl2 2 NaCl

General Form
A + B C
 Decomposition Reactions
Hydrogen Peroxide
2 H2O2 2 H 2O + O2

Electrolysis of water
electricity
2 H2O 2 H2 + O2

Nitrogen triiodide
2 NI3 N2 + 3 I2

General Form
AB A + B