Chemical Reactions and Their Classifications
Chemical Reactions and their Classifications
26 October 2012
Abstract: Ordinary laboratory ware was used to determine how many of what type of chemical reactions occurred. This yielded three decomposition reactions, four substitution reactions, and three metathesis reactions.
Introduction
There are many different types of chemical reactions in the study of chemistry; A composition reaction (also known as synthesis) is defined as the reaction that occurs when two single compounds combine in order to form a more complex product, best illustrated as A + B AB, which is also called a synthesis reaction This classification of reactions led to the belief that there were more different types of reactions.
The next reaction was called single displacement or substitution, which occurs when one element trades places with another in a compound such as, Mg + 2 H2O Mg(OH)2 + H2 (in this reaction the Mg replaced the H on the product side). A double displacement reaction, also known as metathesis, can be defined similarly except the anions and cations of two different molecules switch places, forming two entirely different compounds.
A reaction is described as decomposition when complex compounds are broken down into simpler, smaller ones; for example 2 H2O 2 H2 + O2. It is the opposite of a composition reaction.
As each reactant of the different reactions underwent changes, the final balanced equation was still made up of the same amount of atoms for the compounds, albeit some were switched around in different places. These constant proportions fulfilled the law of definite proportions, which also goes along with the law of conservation of mass which stated that mass is never created or destroyed, therefore the proportions remain constant.
A chemical reaction can be predicted through various means, by simply looking at the reactants. Pure elements reacted together would likely undergo a synthesis reaction. A single compound may be taken apart and that would then
26 October 2012
Abstract: Ordinary laboratory ware was used to determine how many of what type of chemical reactions occurred. This yielded three decomposition reactions, four substitution reactions, and three metathesis reactions.
Introduction
There are many different types of chemical reactions in the study of chemistry; A composition reaction (also known as synthesis) is defined as the reaction that occurs when two single compounds combine in order to form a more complex product, best illustrated as A + B AB, which is also called a synthesis reaction This classification of reactions led to the belief that there were more different types of reactions.
The next reaction was called single displacement or substitution, which occurs when one element trades places with another in a compound such as, Mg + 2 H2O Mg(OH)2 + H2 (in this reaction the Mg replaced the H on the product side). A double displacement reaction, also known as metathesis, can be defined similarly except the anions and cations of two different molecules switch places, forming two entirely different compounds.
A reaction is described as decomposition when complex compounds are broken down into simpler, smaller ones; for example 2 H2O 2 H2 + O2. It is the opposite of a composition reaction.
As each reactant of the different reactions underwent changes, the final balanced equation was still made up of the same amount of atoms for the compounds, albeit some were switched around in different places. These constant proportions fulfilled the law of definite proportions, which also goes along with the law of conservation of mass which stated that mass is never created or destroyed, therefore the proportions remain constant.
A chemical reaction can be predicted through various means, by simply looking at the reactants. Pure elements reacted together would likely undergo a synthesis reaction. A single compound may be taken apart and that would then