Types of Chemical Reactions

Writing Chemical Reactions

 Types of Reactions
 Many chemical
reactions have
defining
characteristics
which allow them
to be classified
as to type.
Types of Chemical Reactions
 The five types of chemical reactions in this
unit are:
 Combination

 Decomposition

 Single Replacement

 Double Replacement

 Combustion
 Combination Reactions
 Two or more substances combine to form
one substance.
 The general form is A + X AX

 Example:
 Magnesium + oxygen  magnesium
oxide
 2Mg + O  2MgO
2
Magnesium + Oxygen
 Combination Reactions
 Combination reactions may also be called
composition or synthesis reactions.

 Some types of combination reactions:

 Combination of elements
 K + Cl2 

 One product will be formed

 Combination Reactions
 K + Cl2 

 Write the ions: K+ Cl-

 Balance the charges: KCl

 Balance the equation: 2K + Cl2  2KCl

 Combination Reactions
 Some types of combination reactions:
 Oxide + water 

 Nonmetal oxide + water  acid

 SO2 + H2O  H2SO3

 Metal oxide + water  base

 BaO + H2O  Ba(OH)2

 Combination Reactions
 Some types of combination reactions:
 Metal oxides + nonmetal oxides

Na2O + CO2  Na2CO3

CaO + SO2  CaSO3

 Decomposition Reactions
 One substance reacts to form two or more
substances.
 The general form is AX  A + X

 Example:
 Water can be decomposed by
electrolysis.
 2H O  2H + O
2 2 2
Electrolysis of Water
 Decomposition Reactions
 Types of Decomposition Reactions:
 Decomposition of carbonates
 When heated, some carbonates

break down to form an oxide and

carbon dioxide.
 CaCO3  CaO + CO2

 H2CO3  H2O + CO2

 Decomposition Reactions
 Types of decomposition reactions:
 Some metal hydroxides decompose
into oxides and water when heated.
 Ca(OH)2  CaO + H2O

Note that this is the reverse of a similar

combination reaction.
 Decomposition Reactions
 Types of decomposition reactions:
 Metal chlorates decompose into
chlorides and oxygen when heated.
 2KClO  2KCl + 3O
3 2
 Zn(ClO3)2  ZnCl2 + 3O2

 Some of these reactions are used in

explosives.
 Decomposition Reactions
 Some substances can easily
decompose:
 Ammonium hydroxide is actually
ammonia gas dissolved in water.
 NH OH  NH + H O
4 3 2
 Some acids decompose into water and
an oxide.
 H SO  H O + SO
2 3 2 2
 Decomposition Reactions
 Some decomposition reactions are
difficult to predict.

 The decomposition of nitrogen

triiodide, NI3, is an example of an
interesting decomposition reaction.
Nitrogen triiodide
 Single Replacement Reactions
 A metal will replace a metal ion in a
compound.
 The general form is A + BX  AX + B

 A nonmetal will replace a nonmetal

ion in a compound.
 The general form is Y + BX  BY + X
 Single Replacement Reactions
 Examples:
 Ni + AgNO3 

 Nickel replaces the metallic ion Ag+.

 The silver becomes free silver and the

nickel becomes the nickel(II) ion.

 Ni + AgNO3  Ag + Ni(NO3)2

 Balance the equation:

 Ni + 2AgNO3  2Ag + Ni(NO3)

Metal Tree
 Single Replacement Reactions
 Not all single replacement reactions that
can be written actually happen.
 The metal must be more active than the
metal ion.

 Aluminum is more active than iron in Al +

Fe2O3 in the following reaction:
Thermite Reaction
 Thermite Reaction

 Al + Fe2O3 
 Aluminum will replace iron(III) as was

seen in the video.

 Iron(III) becomes Fe and aluminum

metal becomes Al3+.

 2Al + Fe2O3  2Fe + Al2O3
 Single Replacement Reactions
 An active nonmetal can replace a less
active nonmetal.
 The halogen (F , Cl , Br , I )
2 2 2 2
reactions are good examples.
 F2 is the most active and I2 is the
least.
Cl +2 NaI  2 NaCl + I
2 2
Double Replacement Reactions
 Ions of two compounds exchange
places with each other.
 The general form is AX + BY  AY +

BX

 Metathesis is an alternate name for

double replacement reactions.
NaOH + CuSO4
 Double Replacement
 NaOH + CuSO4 
 The Na+ and Cu2+ switch places.
 Na+ combines with SO42- to form Na2SO4.
 Cu2+ combines with OH- to form Cu(OH)2
 NaOH + CuSO4  Na2SO4 + Cu(OH)2
 2NaOH + CuSO4  Na2SO4 + Cu(OH)2
CuSO4 + Na2CO3
 Double Replacement

 CuSO4 + Na2CO3 
 Cu2+ combines with CO32- to form

CuCO3.
 Na+ combines with SO42- to form

Na2SO4.
 CuSO4 + Na2CO3  CuCO3 + Na2SO4
Na2CO3 + HCl
 Double Replacement
 Na2CO3 + HCl 
 Notice that gas bubbles were

produced rather than a precipitate.

 What was the gas?

 Write the double replacement

reaction first.
 Double Replacement
 Na2CO3 + HCl 
 Na+ combines with Cl- to form NaCl.

 H+ combines with CO32- to form

H2CO3.
 Na2CO3 + 2HCl  2NaCl + H2CO3

 H2CO3 breaks up into H2O and CO2.

 Double Replacement
 The gas formed was carbon dioxide.
 The final balanced reaction is:

Na2CO3 + HCl  NaCl + H2O + CO2.

 Balance the equation.

 Na2CO3 + 2HCl  2NaCl + H2O + CO2

 Combustion Reaction
 When a substance combines with
oxygen, a combustion reaction results.
 The combustion reaction may also be

an example of an earlier type such as

2Mg + O2  2MgO.
 The combustion reaction may be

burning of a fuel.
 Combustion Reaction
 Methane, CH4, is natural gas.
 When hydrocarbon compounds are

burned in oxygen, the products are

water and carbon dioxide.
 CH4 + O2  CO2 + H2O

 CH4 + 2O2  CO2 + 2H2O

 Combustion Reactions
 Combustion reactions involve light
and heat energy released.
 Natural gas, propane, gasoline, etc.

are burned to produce heat energy.

 Most of these organic reactions

produce water and carbon dioxide.

 Practice
 Classify each of the following as to type:

 H2 + Cl2  2HCl
 Combination

 Ca + 2H2O  Ca(OH)2 + H2
 Single replacement
 Practice
 2CO + O2  2CO2
 Combination and combustion

 2KClO3  2KCl + 3O2

 Decomposition
 Practice
 FeS + 2HCl  FeCl2 + H2S
 Double replacement

 Zn + HCl  ?
 Single replacement
 Zn + 2HCl  ZnCl2 + H2
Types of Chemical Reactions
 Read Chapter 8-2

 Review nomenclature

 Do all of the practice exercises given

in class.