CHAPTER – 1 Chemical Reactions and Equations

Notes:-
 Chemical change:- The type of change in which new substances with new
properties are formed. Examples-rusting of iron, cooking of food, respiration etc.
 Chemical reaction: A chemical change involves a chemical reaction. In a chemical
reaction one or more substances react to form new substances with new
properties. Chemical reaction involves breaking of bonds between the atoms of
reacting substances (reactants) and formation of new bonds between the atoms
of the elements forming the products.
 Reactants: Substances that take part in a chemical reaction.
 Products: The new substances formed as a result of a chemical change during a
chemical reaction.
 A chemical reaction is represented in a short form by writing a chemical equation.
 Chemical equation: A chemical equation is the representation of a chemical
reaction using symbols and formulae of the reactants and products.
 Reactants are always written on the left hand side of the equation and the
products are always written on right hand side of the equation with an arrow(-)
sign between them.
 Reactants ---------> Products
(L.H.S) (R.H.S)
 Example- Magnesium ribbon burns in air to form Magnesium oxide.
(Magnesium+ Oxygen------ Magnesium oxide)
2Mg + O2 ----------> 2MgO
(Reactants) (product)
Zinc + Copper sulphate -- Zinc sulphate + Copper
The chemical equation of the above chemical reaction is written as:
Zn + CuSO4-- ZnSO4 + Cu
 In the above example, zinc and copper sulphate are the reactants whereas zinc
sulphate and copper are the products.
 Skeletal equation or unbalanced equation
When the number of atoms of each element on LHS and RHS of an equation is not
equal, then it is called as skeletal or unbalanced equation.
 Balanced chemical equation: A chemical equation in which number of atoms of
each element is the same on the side of reactants and products is called a
balanced chemical equation
  According to the law of conservation of mass the total mass of the elements
present in the products of a chemical reaction, is equal to the total mass of the
elements present in the reactants. Hence, a chemical equation should be
balanced.
 Example:- Magnesium burns in air to form Magnesium oxide.
(Mg + O2-----MgO ) This is an unbalanced chemical equation because it has an
unequal number of oxygen atoms on the two sides.
If we write the above equation as 2Mg + O2 ----2MgO, then it will be a balanced
chemical equation.
• Unbalanced chemical equations are balanced by Hit and Trial method.
 Information from balanced chemical equation-
1. Number of molecules of each of the reactants and products.
2. Number of moles of the reactants and products
3. Relative masses of reactants and the products
4. Names of reactants and products.
 Making of chemical equation more informative:-
1. Physical states of the reactants and products- (s) for solid,(l) for liquid,(g) for
gas can be written along with the reactants and products.
Fe(s) + H2O(g) ----- Fe3O4(s) + H2(g)
2. Word aqueous (aq) can be used for solution in water.
Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + KI (aq)------- PbI2 (s) + KNO3 (aq)
3. Conditions under which the reaction takes place like temperature, pressure,
catalyst etc can be written above or below the arrow.
Exothermic reactions:- The reactions in which heat is evolved during the reaction.
The sign +heat is written along the products. Ex. CaO + H2O- Ca(OH)2+heat
Dissolution of anhydrous Copper sulphate(CuSO4), Sodium carbonate
monohydrate(Na2CO3.H2O),Sodium suplate in water and Dilution of acids are
exothermic in nature.
Endothermic reactions:- The reactions in which heat is released during the
reaction. The sign +heat is written along with the reactants. Decomposition
reactions are endothermic in nature.
Ex. 2Cu(NO3)2 +heat ---- 2CuO + 4NO2 + O2
Dissolution of Sodium chloride, Sodium nitrate, Potassium chloride, Potassium
nitrate, Potassium sulphate, Ammonium chloride, Ammonium nitrate, hydrated
copper sulphate(CuSO4.5H2O) in water are endothermic in nature.
TYPES OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS: There are mainly five types of chemical reactions.
(A) Combination reactions: Reactions in which two or more substances combine to form
a single substance, e.g. (I) 2H2(g)+O2(g)--- 2H2O(l) (Hydrogen + Oxygen--- Water)
Two elements combine to form a compound
(ii) 2SO2(g) + O2(g)-- 2SO3(g) (sulphur dioxide + Oxygen---- Sulphur trioxide)
One element and one compound combine to form compound
(iii) CaO(s) + H2O(l)----> Ca(OH)2 (aq) (Calcium oxide + Water---- Calcium hydroxide
(Quick lime) (Slaked lime)
Two compounds combine to form a compound.
(B) Decomposition reactions: Reactions in which a compound splits up into two or more
simpler substances.
(1) Thermal decomposition- decomposition reactions by absorbing heat energy.
example: (i) 2FeSO4(s) +heat---- Fe2O3 (s) + SO2 (g) + SO3 (g)
Ferrous sulphate--- Ferric oxide +Sulphur dioxide + Sulphur trioxide
(ii) CaCO3 (s) +Heat----- CaO(s) + CO2 (g)
Calcium carbonate ----Calcium oxide+ Carbon dioxide
(2) Electrolytic decomposition- decomposition by electricity
Example – Electrolysis of water. (Splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen by
passing electricity)

Electrolytic decomposition of molten sodium chloride to form sodium metal and

chlorine gas and decomposition of molten aluminium oxide into aluminium metal and
oxygen gas are also examples for electrolytic decomposition.
(3) Photo decomposition reactions
White coloured silver chloride decompose into grey coloured silver and chlorine
gas , and yellow coloured silver bromide decompose into grey coloured silver and
bromine on exposure to sunlight.
Black and white photography is based upon these reactions as the photographic
film is coated with these salts.
Silver nitrate solution and hydrogen peroxide are kept in dark coloured bottles to
prevent photo decomposition reaction.

( C) Displacement reactions: Reactions in which a more reactive element displace a

less reactive element from its compound are called displacement reactions. They
generally found to occur in the solution.
 Example: (i) Fe(s) + CuSO4 (aq)----- FeSO4 (aq) + Cu(s)
Iron+ Copper sulphate -----Iron sulphate + Copper
(blue colour) (light green colour)
Zn(s) + CuSO4 (aq) ----> ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu(s)
Zinc + Copper sulphate--- Zinc sulphate+ Copper
(blue colour) (colourless)
(iii) Mg(s) + CuSO4 (aq)--- MgSO4 (aq) + Cu(s)
Magnesium + Copper sulphate---- Magnesium sulphate+ Copper
(blue colour) (colourless)
Displacement reactions are exothermic in nature.
(D) Double displacement reactions: Reactions in which two compounds react by an
exchange of ions, to form the products. These reactions are generally represented as:
Example (i) BaCl2 (aq)+ Na2SO4(aq) --- BaSO4 (s) + 2NaCl
Barium chloride + Sodium sulphate --- Barium sulphate + Sodium Chloride
(white precipitate)
(ii) AgNO3 (aq)+NaCl (aq)------- AgCl (s) +NaNO3(aq)
Silver nitrate + Sodium chloride ------- Silver chloride + Sodium nitrate
(white precipitate)
Neutralisation reactions between an acid and a base are also double displacement
reactions.
 The reaction in which aqueous solutions react to form an insoluble substance
(precipitate) is known as precipitation reaction

(E) Redox reactions: Reactions in which oxidation and reduction take place
simultaneously.
Oxidation: An addition of oxygen to a substance or removal of hydrogen from a
substance. Reduction: An addition of hydrogen to a substance or removal of oxygen
from a substance. Oxidising agent: A substance which provides oxygen or a
substance which removes hydrogen for oxidation.
Reducing agent: A substance which provides hydrogen for reduction or a substance
which removes oxygen for reduction.
In redox reactions one substance is reduced and the other is oxidised,
e.g. (i) CuO + H2 (heat)---- Cu + H2O
Copper oxide+ Hydrogen--- Copper + Water
(a) The substance oxidised is H2. (b) The substance reduced is CuO. (c) The
oxidising agent is CuO. (d) The reducing agent is H2.
(ii) H2S + I2 --- 2HI + S
Hydrogen sulphide+ Iodine -----Hydrogen iodide + Sulphur
(a) The substance oxidised is H2S. (b) The substance reduced is I2. (c) The
oxidising agent is I2 (d) The reducing agent is H2S.
The effects of redox reactions are observed in everyday life. For example,
corrosion and rancidity.
Corrosion: The process of slow conversion of metals into their undesirable
compounds by the action of moisture, air ,acid etc. Rusting of iron is corrosion.
Corrosion can be prevented by painting , oiling , greasing , alloying etc.
Rancidity: Phenomenon in which food items containing oils and fats when
exposed to air gives an unpleasant taste and smell. It is due to oils and fats
present in the food items getting oxidised. Antioxidants are added to food
containing fats and oils, so that the taste and smell does not change (prevent
rancidity).
*******************************