Chemical Equations &
Reactions
Chemical Reactions
You should be able to
Classify reactions by type.
Write a balanced molecular equation, complete ionic equation,
and a net ionic equation.
Balance oxidation-reduction reactions.
Predict if a precipitate will form using the solubility rules.
Predict products of reactions given the chemical names of the
reactants.
Organize Your Thoughts
Chemical
reactions
Chemical
equations
• Writing equations
• Balancing equations
• Predicting products
from reactants
Chemical
equations
• Synthesis
• Decomposition
• Single replacement
• Double replacement
• Combustion
• Ox-Redox
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
gases or vapor
input or release
of energy
difficult to reverse
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.
Chemical Equations
4 Al(s) + 3 O2(g)
2 Al2O3(s)
aluminum oxide
sandpaper
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
108 g
3 mol O2@32g/mol
+
96 g
2 mol Al2O3@102g/mol
=
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
100%
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Chemical
Factory
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Chemical Equations
Because of the principle of the conservation of matter,
An equation must be 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
Additional Symbols Used in Chemical Equations
“Yields”; indicates result of reaction
Used to indicate a reversible reaction
(s)
A reactant or product in the solid state;
also used to indicate a precipitate
Alternative to (s), but used only to indicate a precipitate
(l)
A reactant or product in the liquid state
(aq)
A reactant or product in an aqueous solution
(dissolved in water)
(g)
A reactant or product in the gaseous state
Additional Symbols Used in Chemical Equations
Alternative to (g), but used only to indicate a gaseous product
D
2 atm
pressure
Reactants are heated
Pressure at which reaction is carried out, in this case 2 atm
Pressure at which reaction is carried out exceeds normal
atmospheric pressure
0 oC
Temperature at which reaction is carried out, in this case 0 oC
MnO2
Formula of catalyst, in this case manganese (IV) oxide,
used to alter the rate of the reaction
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
Reactant
CH4
+
2 O2
carbon dioxide
+
water
Product
CO2
+
2 H2O
Unbalanced and Balanced Equations
H
Cl
Cl
H
H
H
H
Cl
H2 + Cl2  HCl (unbalanced)
reactants
H
Cl
2
2
H
H
Cl
Cl
Cl
H2 + Cl2  2 HCl (balanced)
reactants
products
1
1
Cl
H
Cl
2
2
products
2
2
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
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).
6 NH?
4OH
2 (NH4)3PO4 + 3 Mg(OH)2  Mg3(PO4)2 +
ammonium phosphate
magnesium hydroxide
magnesium phosphate
ammonium hydroxide
NH41+ OH1-
Now you try…
2 AlCl3
+ 3 Li2CO3

Al2(CO3)3
+
6 LiCl
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
1 C atom
4 H atoms
4 O atoms
Products
1 C atom
4 H atoms
4 O atoms
Reactants  Products
+
C(s)
+
carbon
O2(g)
CO2(g)
oxygen
carbon dioxide
Reactants
1 carbon atom
2 oxygen atoms
Product
1 carbon atom
2 oxygen atoms
catalyst – speeds up reaction
Pt
+
2 H2(g)
+
hydrogen
O2(g)
Pt
oxygen
Reactants
2 hydrogen atoms
4
2 oxygen atoms
2 H2O (l)
water
Product
2 hydrogen atoms
4
1 oxygen atoms
2
Unbalanced