Chemical Reactions

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Steps to Writing Reactions

Don’t forget about the diatomic elements!

In a compound, it can’t be a diatomic element

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Steps to Writing Reactions
Some steps for doing reactions
1. Identify the type of reaction
2. Predict the product(s) using the type of
reaction as a model
3. Balance it

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Types of Reactions
• There are five types of chemical
reactions we will talk about:
1. Combination (Synthesis) reactions
2. Decomposition (Analysis) reactions
3. Single displacement (Substitution)reactions
4. Double displacement (Metathesis) reactions
5. Combustion reactions
• You need to be able to identify the type
of reaction and predict the product(s)

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1. Synthesis reactions
• Synthesis reactions occur when two
substances (generally elements) combine and
form a compound. (Sometimes these are called
combination or addition reactions.)

reactant + reactant  1product

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1. Synthesis reactions
Basically: A + B  AB

Example:
2H2 + O2  2H2O
C + O2  CO2

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Combination Reaction
 Metal + Oxygen → Metal Oxide
Example:
2Mg + O2 → 2MgO
4Na + O2 → 2Na2O
 Non-Metal + Oxygen → Acidic Oxide/Acidic
Anhydride
Example:
S + O2 → SO2
C + O2 → CO2

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Combination Reaction
 Non-Metal Oxide + Water → Acid
Example:
SO2 + H2O → H2SO3 (aq)
CO2 + H2O → H2CO3 (aq)
 Metal Oxide + Water → Alkali/Base
Na2O + H2O → 2NaOH
MgO + H2O → Mg(OH)2

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Synthesis Reactions
Here is
another
example
of a
synthesis
reaction

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Practice
• Predict the products. Write and balance
the following synthesis reaction equations.
• Sodium metal reacts with chlorine gas
Na(s) + Cl2(g) 
• Solid Magnesium reacts with fluorine gas
Mg(s) + F2(g) 
• Aluminum metal reacts with fluorine gas
Al(s) + F2(g) 

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2. Decomposition Reactions
• Decomposition reactions occur when a compound breaks
up into the elements or in a few to simpler compounds

1 Reactant  Product + Product

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2. Decomposition Reactions
In general: AB  A + B

Example:
2 H2O  2H2 + O2
2 HgO  2Hg + O2

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 Decomposition Reactions
 Metal Oxide 


Metal + Oxygen gas
2HgO 

 2Hg + O2

 Metal Carbonates 

 Metal Oxide + CO2
Na2CO3  
 Na2O + CO2
CaCO3  
 CaO + CO2

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 Decomposition Reactions
 Metal Nitrates 

Metal Nitrites + Oxygen gas
NaNO3   NaNO2 + O2

 Metal Bicarbonates 

 Metal Carbonate + H2O + CO2
2NaHCO3 

 Na2CO3 + H2O + CO2

 Metal Oxyhalides   Metal Halide + O2

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Decomposition Reactions
• Another view of a decomposition
reaction:

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Practice
Predict the products. Then, write and
balance the following decomposition
reaction equations:
1. Solid Lead (IV) oxide decomposes
PbO2(s) 
2. Aluminum nitride decomposes
AlN(s) 

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Practice
Identify the type of reaction for each of the
following synthesis or decomposition
reactions, and write the balanced equation:
N2(g) + O2(g)  Nitrogen monoxide
BaCO3(s) 
Co(s)+ S(s)  (make Co be +3)
NH3(g) + H2CO3(aq) 
NI3(s) 

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3. Single Replacement Reactions
• Single Replacement Reactions occur when one
element replaces another in a compound.
• A metal can replace a metal (+)
OR
• Nonmetal can replace a nonmetal (-).

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3. Single Replacement Reactions
element + compound product + product

A + BC  AC + B (if A is a metal)
OR
A + BC  BA + C (if A is a nonmetal)

(remember the cation always goes first!)

When H2O splits into ions, it splits into

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 Activity Series

 Metals
Li, K, Ba, Ca, Na, Mg, Al, Zn, Cr, Fe, Cd, Co, Ni, Pb, H, Cu, Hg, Ag, Pt, Au

arranged in decreasing activity

 Non-Metals
F2, Cl2, Br2, I2

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Single Replacement Reactions
• Another view:

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Single Replacement Reactions
• Write and balance the following single
replacement reaction equation:
• Zinc metal reacts with aqueous
hydrochloric acid
Zn(s) + 2HCl(aq)  ZnCl2 + H2(g)

Note: Zinc replaces the hydrogen ion in

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Single Replacement Reactions
 Sodium chloride solid reacts with fluorine gas
2NaCl(s) + F2(g)  2NaF(s) + Cl2(g)

Note that fluorine replaces chlorine in the compound

 Sodium fluoride reacts with chlorine gas

 Aluminum metal reacts with aqueous copper (II) nitrate

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4. Double Replacement Reactions
• Double Replacement Reactions occur
when a metal replaces a metal in a
compound and a nonmetal replaces a
nonmetal in a compound
• Compound + compound  product +
product
• AB + CD  AD + CB

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 Double Replacement Reactions
• Think about it like “foil”ing in algebra, first and last
ions go together + inside ions go together
• Example:
AgNO3(aq) + NaCl(s)  AgCl(s) + NaNO3(aq)

• Another example:
K2SO4(aq) + Ba(NO3)2(aq)  2KNO3(aq) + BaSO4(s)

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 Practice
• Predict the products. Balance the equation
1. HCl(aq) + AgNO3(aq) 
2. CaCl2(aq) + Na3PO4(aq) 
3. Pb(NO3)2(aq) + BaCl2(aq) 
4. FeCl3(aq) + NaOH(aq) 
5. H2SO4(aq) + NaOH(aq) 
6. KOH(aq) + CuSO4(aq) 

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5. Combustion Reactions
• Combustion reactions
occur when a hydrocarbon
reacts with oxygen gas.
• This is also called
burning!!! In order to burn
something you need the 3
things in the “fire triangle”:
1) A Fuel (hydrocarbon)
2) Oxygen to burn it with
3) Something to ignite the
reaction (spark)

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Combustion Reactions
• In general:
CxHy + O2  CO2 + H2O
• Products in combustion are
ALWAYS carbon dioxide and
water. (although incomplete
burning does cause some by-
products like carbon monoxide)
• Combustion is used to heat
homes and run automobiles
(octane, as in gasoline, is
C8H18)
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Combustion Reactions

Edgar Allen Poe’s

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Combustion
• Example
• C5H12 + O2  CO2 + H2O
8 5 6
• Write the products and balance the following
combustion reaction:
• C10H22 + O2 

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Mixed Practice
• State the type, predict the products,
and balance the following reactions:
1. BaCl2 + H2SO4 
2. C6H12 + O2 
3. Zn + CuSO4 
4. Cs + Br2 
5. FeCO3 

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