CHEMICAL REACTIONS AND

EQUATIONS

What are chemical reactions ?

A chemicalreactionis a process where the reactant
gets converted into a product which may be under an
influenceofa catalyst.
A word-equation shows change of reactants to
products through an arrow placed between them.
The reactants are written on the left-hand side (LHS)
with a plus sign (+)between them.
Similarly, products are written on the right
hand side (RHS)with a plus sign (+)between them.
The arrowhead points towards the products, and
shows the direction of the reaction.
How do we identify a chemical reactidy
A chemical reaction is identified by any of these 4
factors
Change in state
change in color
evolution of a gas
Change in temperature.
According to law of conservation of mass matter can
neither be created nor be destroyed in a chemical
reaction.
Writing a chemical reaction
A chemical equation represents a chemical reaction. If
you recall formulae of magnesium, oxygen and
magnesium Oxide, the above word-equation can be
written as-
Mg+O- Mg0
Balancing chemical reaction
To balance a chemical equation, first draw boxes around
each forever
not change anything inside the boxes while balancing the
equation
List the number of atoms of different elements present in
the unbalanced equation
Start balancing with the compound that contains the
maximum number of
atoms. It may be a reactant or a product. In that
compound, select the element which has the maximum
number of atoms.
Balance the unbalanced atom.
Finally, to check the correctness of the balanced
equation, we
out atoms of each element on both sides of the
equation.
To make a chemical equation more informative, the
physical state
reactants and products are mentioned along with
their chemical formula
The gaseous, liquid, aqueous and solid states of
reactants and products
represented by the notations (g), ().(aq) and (s),
respectively.
The word aqueous (ag)is written if the reactant or
product is present as a
solution water
Types of chemical reactions.
There are 5 types of reactions we are going to
Study ;
Combination reactions decomposition reaction
displacement reactions double displacement
reactions redox reactions
COMBINATION REACTIONS
When 2reactants combine to form a product it is called a
combination reactions.
Calcium oxide reacts vigorously with water to produce
slaked lime (calcium hydroxide)releasing a large amount
of heat.
CaO + H,0 > Ca(OH),
Calcium hydroxide reacts slowly with the carbon dioxide in
air to form a thin layer of calcium carbonate on the walls.
Calcium carbonate is formed after two to three days of
white washing and gives a shiny finish to the walls.
It is interesting to note that the chemical formula for marble
is also CaCO,.
Reactions in which heat is released along with the
formation of products are called exothermic chemical
reactions.
Burning of natural gas and the decomposition of vegetable
matter into compost are also an example of an exothermic
reaction.
Endothermic reaction are those reactions in which heat is
absorbed.
During digestion, food is broken down into simpler
substances. For example, rice, potatoes and bread contain
carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are broken down to
form glucose. This glucose combines with oxygen in the
cells of our body and provides energy.
This is an endothermic reaction too ! CH,OH
Decomposition reactions
When a product breaks up into its constituent reactants the
reaction i
decomposition reaction.
2FeSO, (s) -
Heat >Fe,O,(s) +SO,(g) +SO,(9)
In this reaction you can observe that a single reactant breaks
down
simplerproducts.This is a decomposition reaction. Ferrous
sulphate crystals
(FesO4, 7H,0)lose water when heated and the colourof the
crystals changes. It
then decomposes to ferric oxide (Fe,O),Sulphur dioxide
(SO,)and Sulphur
trioxide (SO,). Ferric oxide is asolid,while SO, and SO, are
gases.
Decomposition of calcium carbonate to calcium oxide and
carbon dioxide on
heating is an important decomposition reaction used in
various industries.
Calcium oxide is called lime or quick lime. It has many uses -
one is in the
manufacture of cement. When a decomposition reaction is
carried out by heating,
it is called thermal decomposition.
Electrolytic decomposition (electrolysis
Take a plastic mug. Drill two holes at its base and fit
rubber stoppers in these holes. Insert carbon electrodes in
these rubber stoppers. Connect these electrodes to a
6volt battery.
Fill the mug with water such that the electrodes are
immersed. Add a few drops of dilute sulphuric acid to the
water. Take two test tubes filled with water and invert
them over the two carbon electrodes. Switch on the
current and leave the apparatus
ygen
e
Test tube
Geaghate rod
Water Rulderstopper
undisturbedfor some time. You will observe the formationof
bubbles at both the electrodes. These Aode
Cathode
We
bubbles displace water in the test tubes.
Satich
will se hydrogen at the cathode and oxygen at
the anode and oxygen is double of hydrogen in terms of
volume.
Photolysis (thermal decomposition
Halogen compounds decompose on exposure to
sunlight
2AgCl(s) -> 2Ag(s) +l,(9)
Photolytic reactions are used in black and white
photography
The decomposition reactions require energy either
in the form of heat, light or electricity for breaking
down the reactants.
Reactions in which energy is absorbed are known
as endothermic reactions.
Displacement reactions
When a element displaces another element
from its respective compound of lower
reactivity it is said to be a displacement
reaction
Double displacement reactions
Reactions in which there is an exchange of ions between the
Reaction called double displacement reactions.
These reactions are also called precipitation reactionsasan
insoluble substance is formed which is known as a precipitate.
Any reaction produces a precipitate can be called a precipitation
reaction
Oxidation & reduction (redox reactions)
If a substance gains oxygen during a reaction, it is said to be oxid
substance loses oxygen during a reaction, it is said to be
reduced
if one reactant gets oxidized while the other gets reduced during
Such reactions are called oxidation-reduction or redox r
if substance gains oxygen or loses hydrogen during a reaction,
oxidised.If a substance loses oxygen or gains hydrogen during a
reaction,it is reduced.
Corrosion and rancidity
When a metal is attacked by substances around it such as
moisture, acids, etc., it is said to corrode and this process is
called corrosion. The black coating on silver and the green
coating on copper are other examples of corrosion.
Corrosion causes damage to car bodies, bridges,
iron railings, ships and to all objects made of
metals, specially those of iron. Corrosion of iron is a serious
problem.
When fats and oils are oxidised,they become rancid and their
smell and taste change. Usually substances which prevent
oxidation (antioxidants) are added to foods containing fats and
oil. Keeping
food in air tight containers helps to slow down
oxidation. This prevents the food from becoming rancid and
hence chips are flushe with nitrogen
gas to prevent it from rancidity.