Signs of a Chemical Reaction

Each of the processes below shows a substance changing in

some way. Are these examples of a chemical reaction? Justify
your answer with a reason.
 Date:
LI: To learn about the signs of a chemical reaction.

Success Criteria
1. Knowledge: I can identify the different signs of a chemical
reaction.
2. Understanding: I can explain whether a process is a
chemical change or a physical change.
3. Applying: I can identify real-life processes as a chemical
reaction or physical process.
 Fact of the Day
The statue of liberty is iconic for its greenish colour. However, it wasn’t
always this colour. It was originally a brownish copper colour, however,
over many years the copper has reacted with oxygen in the air to form
patina, which is green.
 Recap Questions
1. What are the three states of matter?
2. Explain what happens to the particles in water when you
heat them up?
3. What products are formed when you react an acid and an
alkali together?
 Answers
1. Solid, Liquid and Gas
2. The particles gain energy and start to vibrate and move
faster. Eventually they are moving away from each other
more strongly than the forces of attraction can hold them
together, causing them to expand and eventually escape
the forces of attraction completely, forming a gas.
3. Salt and water
 Physical Processes
A physical process is a change that happens which does not cause a
change in the chemical properties of a substance.
For example, when you boil water (H2O), the molecules are exactly the
same, they just have more energy and are now in the gas phase.
H2O (l)  H2O (g)
 Chemical Properties
Chemical properties describe how a
substance reacts with other substances to
form new substances. They include things
like flammability, acidity, toxicity etc.
2H2 (g) + O2(g)  2H2O (l)
In a chemical reaction, the chemical
properties of a substance change. For
example, oxygen and hydrogen are both
flammable gases, but when they react they
form water, a non-flammable liquid.
 Demonstration
Watch this process here, and determine whether you think it
is a chemical reaction, or a physical process. Write down one
reason for your answer.
 Signs of a Chemical Reaction
This demonstration was a chemical reaction.
One of the signs of a chemical reaction is an energy change. This
reaction produced heat, light and sound.
Heat is the most common type of energy released. Some chemical
reactions release or absorb heat, causing a change in temperature.
 Signs of a Chemical Reaction
One experiment you can do to demonstrate energy changes in a
reaction is by adding magnesium metal to hydrochloric acid.

Oldest Partner Youngest Partner

• Test Tube  Magnesium strips

• Test Tube Rack  Hydrochloric acid
• Thermometer  Measuring cylinder
• Funnel
 Method
1. Measure 10 mL of the hydrochloric acid using the measuring
cylinder and add it to the test tube using the funnel.
2. Add the thermometer and wait 2 minutes for the thermometer to
adjust to the temperature. Write this temperature down in your
notebook.
3. Add one piece of magnesium to the test-tube and record your
observations in your notebook. What signs of a reaction do you
see?
4. Observe the thermometer and record the new temperature. Was
there an energy change?
Effervescence
Another sign of a chemical reaction
is effervescence, or a gas being
produced. If the reaction takes place
in a liquid, we will see this as
bubbles forming.
In the case of magnesium and
hydrochloric acid, the gas given off
is hydrogen.
 Signs of a Chemical Reaction
Oldest Partner Youngest Partner
1. Red cabbage 1. Measuring cylinder
2. Scissors 2. Hydrochloric acid
3. Small beaker 3. Sodium hydroxide
4. Test tubes x3 4. Kettle
5. Test tube rack
 Method
1. Boil some water in the kettle.
2. Chop the red cabbage into small pieces using the scissors.
3. Add the red cabbage and hot water to a beaker and leave for a few minutes.
4. Using the pipette, fill each of the test tubes half way with the coloured cabbage water.
5. Rinse the pipette by filling it in a clean beaker of water and pouring it down the sink. Do this
three times to make sure the pipette is clean.
6. Add some hydrochloric acid to one of the test tubes and stir with the pipette. Write down your
observations.
7. Rinse the pipette again using the previous method.
8. Add some sodium hydroxide to another test tube and stir with the pipette. Write down your
observations.
9. What signs of a chemical reaction have you seen?
 Colour Changes
Colour changes are a sign of a chemical reaction.
Another example is rusting of iron. The iron goes from grey to a
reddish-brown colour as it reacts with oxygen to form iron oxide.
 Signs of a Chemical Reaction
Oldest Partner Youngest Partner
1. Lead nitrate solution 1. Evaporating dish
2. Potassium iodide solution 2. Bunsen burner
3. Filter funnel 3. Tripod stand
4. Filter paper 4. Wire gauze
5. Beaker 5. Measuring cylinder
 Method
1. Measure out roughly 20 mL of lead nitrate solution in a beaker.
2. In the measuring cylinder measure 20 mL of potassium iodide solution.
3. Quickly pour the measuring cylinder into the beaker and write down your
observations.
4. Allow the solution to settle for a few minutes.
5. Set up the filter funnel with filter paper and place it over an evaporating basin.
6. Carefully pour the mixture into the filter funnel. Write down what you have
observed. What signs of a chemical reaction have you seen?
7. Once you have recorded your observations you can tidy away your equipment,
placing the filter paper in the bin. Make sure to wash your hands afterwards.
 Precipitation
A precipitate is a solid that forms from the reaction of two
solutions.
 Change in Odor
A change in odor (smell) can also indicate a chemical reaction.
For instance, when food spoils, it produces a foul odor due to chemical
reactions taking place.
 Chemical vs Physical
We can generally tell the difference between a chemical reaction and
physical process by using the rule of thumb below:
If a process is easily reversible, it’s a physical process. If it is
permanent, or very difficult to reverse, it’s a chemical reaction.
For example, if you boil water, the steam will cool back down and
form drops of liquid water. If you fry an egg, the egg is not going to
unfry itself and become a whole egg again. A chemical reaction has
taken place.
 Activity
A pupil investigates how adding different amounts of magnesium to
excess acid can effect the temperature change. He records his results in
the table below. Present this information as a line graph and use this
graph to predict what the temperature change would be if he added 70
grams.
Mass of magnesium added (g) Temperature change (˚C)
0 0
5 3
10 5
20 11
30 16
35 18
40 21
 Answer
By drawing our line of best fit and extending it forwards to 70 grams
of magnesium added, we can predict the temperature increase would
be around 36-37 ˚C.
 Extension Task
In this lesson we looked at five signs of a chemical reaction. Your task
is to research some other experiments you could do at home which
show the five signs of a chemical reaction. Each experiment doesn’t
have to show all five, but what can you find that will allow you to
demonstrate this to your family and friends?
 Summary Questions
1. What are the five signs of a chemical reaction?
2. What’s the difference between a physical process and a
chemical reaction?
 Answers
1. The five signs of a chemical reaction are: change in color,
production of gas, formation of a precipitate, change in
temperature, and change in odor.
2. The difference between a physical process and a chemical
reaction is that in a physical process, the substance's
molecules do not change, while in a chemical reaction, the
molecules are rearranged to form new substances with
different properties.
 Key Terms
Absorb: To take in or soak up something.
Chemical: Characteristics that describe how a substance changes into a new substance.
Effervescence: Bubbling or fizzing caused by the release of gas from a liquid.
Molecule: The smallest unit of a substance that has the properties of that substance.
Odor: How something smells.
Phase: The physical state of matter (solid, liquid, or gas).
Physical Process: Changes that do not create new substances.
Precipitate: A solid that forms from a chemical reaction in a liquid solution.
Precipitation: The process of forming a precipitate in a liquid solution.
Reversible: A process that can be undone or reversed.
Rule of Thumb: A general principle or practical method based on experience.
 “Mr Luke, I Wasn’t Here When We Did This”

Signs of a Chemical Reaction [2:16]: https://

www.youtube.com/watch?v=q76UNX3otvA
Chemical vs Physical Changes Explained [7:40]: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZGULLWEy1c
What Actually Causes a Chemical Reaction? (Note – This video is for
interest only, you are not expected to know terms like ‘enthalpy’ and
‘entropy’ yet) [3:45]: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m6RtOpqvtU
Six Chemical Reactions Which Changed History [7:55]: https://
www.youtube.com/watch?v=jb4CMnT2-ao
 Test Your Knowledge
See how well you’ve mastered this lesson on chemical
reactions by using the links below:
https://www.gimkit.com/view/65a359a5b89646002b551c41
https://quizizz.com/embed/quiz/60fdddb611a51d001b0b9aa5
 Success Criteria
Knowledge: I can identify the different signs of a
chemical reaction.

Understanding: I can explain whether a process is a

chemical change or a physical change.

Applying: I can identify real-life processes as a

chemical reaction or physical process.
Question
 Answer
Condensation, condensing etc.
Question
 Answer
C (2 and 4)

This is because they are the only reactions which produce a gas, given
the state symbol (g).
Question
 Answer
D
Question
 Answer
H
Question
 Answer
G