Predicting Products   Type of Reaction
Double Displacement (Precipitation)
Both ionic solid reactants are soluble
Switch cations to form products with other anions
One new product is insoluble / forms a precipitate
Verify which product is insoluble / (s)
Properly formulate all compounds based on ionic charge
Balance the equation
Acid – Base Neutralization
Acids begin with H+ion, Bases end with OH- ion
Water is formed H(OH)  H2O
Other product is “salt” and is soluble
Properly formulate all compounds based on ionic charge
Balance the equation
Single Displacement
One reactant is a metallic element or a halide (F2, Cl2, Br2, I2)
Switch lone element with its metallic or halide counterpart
Properly formulate new compound based on ionic charge
Balance the equation
Combination (Synthesis)
There will be only one product
Metallic element and non-metallic element will form an ionic compound
Properly formulate new compound based on ionic charge
Balance the equation
Decomposition
There will be only one reactant
It will break up into smaller compounds and / or elemental parts
Binary ionic compounds can only break into elemental parts
Balance the equation
Combustion
One reactant is a hydrocarbon (mostly hydrogen and carbon atoms)
The other reactant is oxygen (O2)
The two products formed in complete combustion are CO2 and H2O
Balance the equation