Chemical reactions and equations

 Chemical reactions are the processes in which new substances with new
properties are formed.
 The substances which take part in a chemical reaction are called reactants.
 The new substances produced because of chemical reaction are called products.
 In a chemical reaction, reactants are transformed into products.
 The burning of magnesium in air to form magnesium oxide is an example of a
chemical reaction.

 The magnesium ribbon starts burning with a dazzling whit flame.

 Hold the burning magnesium ribbon over a watch glass so that the magnesium
oxide powder being formed collects in the watch glass.
Note: Before burning in air, the magnesium ribbon is cleaned by rubbing with
sandpaper. This is done to remove the protective layer of magnesium carbonate
from the surface of magnesium ribbon so that it may readily combine with the
oxygen of air.
Characteristics of Chemical reactions
 The conversion of reactants into products in a chemical reaction is often
accompanied by some features which can be easily observed easily.
 The important characteristics of chemical reactions are:
1. Evolution of a gas
2. Formation of a precipitate
3. Change in color
4. Change in temperature
5. Change in state

Evolution of a Gas:
Some chemical reactions are characterized by the evolution of a gas.
The chemical reaction between zinc and dilute Sulphur acid is characterized
by the evolution of hydrogen gas.
 Take some zinc granules in a conical flask.
 Add dilute sulphuric acid over zinc granules.
 We will see the bubbles of hydrogen gas being formed around zinc granules.
 If we touch the conical flask with our hand, we will find that it is somewhat hot.
So, a change in temperature also occurs in this chemical reaction.

Formation of precipitate
A precipitate is a ‘solid product’ which separates out from the solution during a
chemical reaction.
The chemical between potassium iodide and lead nitrate is characterized by
the formation of a yellow precipitate of lead iodide.
  Take some lead nitrate solution in test tube.
 Add potassium iodide solution to it.
 A yellow precipitate of lead iodide is formed at once.
 A change in color also takes place in this chemical reaction.

Change in color:
Some chemical reactions are characterized by a change in color.
The chemical reaction between citric acid and purple colored potassium
permanganate solution is characterized by a change in color from purple to
colorless.

 Take some dilute potassium permanganate solution in a test tube. It has

purple color.
 Add some lemon juice (it contains citric acid) to it with the help of a dropper
and shake the test tube.
 The purple color of potassium permanganate solution goes on fading and
ultimately it becomes colorless.

Change in temperature:
Some chemical reactions are characterized by a change in temperature.
The chemical reaction between quicklime and water to form slaked lime is
characterized by a change in temperature.

 Take a little of quicklime in a hard-glass beaker.

 Add water to it slowly.
 Touch the beaker.
 The beaker feels to be quite hot.

Change in state:
 Some chemical reactions are characterized by a change in state.
 When wax is burned (in the form of wax candle), then water and carbon
dioxide are formed.
 Now, wax is a liquid whereas carbon dioxide is a gas. This means that during
the combustion reaction of wax, the physical state changes from solid to liquid
and gas.

Chemical equations:
 The method of representing a chemical reaction with the help of symbols
and formula of the substances involved in it is known as a chemical
equation.
 Zinc metal reacts with dilute sulphuric acid to form zinc sulphate and
hydrogen gas.
  This is known as word equation. Putting the symbols and formula of all the
substances in the above word equation, we get the following chemical
equation:

 The substances which combine or react are known as reactants.

 The new substances produced in a reaction are known as products.
Balanced and unbalanced chemical equations:
A balanced chemical equation has an equal number of atoms of different
elements in the reactants and products.
Zinc metal reacts with dilute sulphuric acid to form zinc sulphate and hydrogen gas.

There are an equal number of atoms of different elements in the reactants and
products, so the above chemical equation is a balanced equation.
An unbalanced chemical equation has an unequal number of atoms of one or
more elements in the reactants and products.
Hydrogen reacts with oxygen to form water.

Types of chemical reactions

Some of the important types of chemical reactions are:
1. Combination reactions
2. Decomposition reaction
3. Displacement reactions
4. Double displacement reactions
5. Oxidation and Reduction reactions

Combination reactions:
 Those reactions, in which two or more substances combine to form a single
substance, are called combination reactions.
 Examples:
Hydrogen burns in oxygen to form water

Ammonia reacts with hydrogen chloride to form ammonium chloride.

 Carbon monoxide reacts with oxygen to form carbon dioxide.

Decomposition reactions:
 Those reactions in which a compound splits up into two or more simpler
substances are known as decomposition reactions.
 The decomposition reactions are carried out by applying heat, light or
electricity.
 Example: When calcium carbonate is heated, it decomposes to give calcium
oxide and carbon dioxide:

 When a decomposition reaction is carried out by heating, it is called ‘thermal

decomposition’.
 Example: When lead nitrate is heated strongly, it breaks down to form simpler
substances like lead monoxide, nitrogen oxide and oxygen.

 Some decomposition reactions are carried out by using electricity.

Example: When electric current is passed through acidified water, it decomposes
to give hydrogen gas and oxygen gas.

 This decomposition reaction takes place by the action of electricity. It is called

electrolysis of water.
 Some decomposition reactions are carried out by light energy.
Example: When silver chloride is exposed to light, it decomposes to form silver
metal and chlorine gas.

Uses of Decomposition reactions:

 The decomposition reactions carried out by electricity are used to extract
several metals from their naturally occurring compounds like chlorides and
oxides.
 For example, sodium metal is extracted by the electrolysis of molten
aluminum oxide.
Decomposition reactions in our body:
 The digestion of food in the body is an example of decomposition reaction.
  When we eat foods like wheat, rice or potatoes, then the starch present in
them decomposes to give simple sugar like glucose in the body; and protein
decompose to form amino acids.

Displacement reactions:
 Those reactions, in which one element takes the place of another
element in a compound, are known as displacement reactions.
 In general, a more reactive element displaces a less reactive element from its
compound.
Examples:

1. When as strip of zinc metal is placed in copper sulphate solution,

then zinc sulphate solution and copper are obtained.

2. When a piece of iron metal (or iron nail) is placed in copper

sulphate solution, then iron sulphate solution and copper metal are
formed.

Double Displacement reactions:

 Those reactions, in which two compounds react by an exchange of ions to
form two new compounds, are called double displacement reactions.
Example:
When barium chloride solution is added to sodium sulphate solution, then a
white precipitate of barium sulphate is formed along with sodium chloride
solution.

Note: any reaction in which an insoluble solid called precipitate is formed that
separates from the solution is called a precipitation reaction.

Oxidation and Reduction reactions:

Oxidation:
The addition of oxygen to a substance is called oxidation.
The removal of hydrogen from a substance is called oxidation.
Reduction:
The addition of hydrogen to a substance is called reduction.
The removal of oxygen from a substance is called reduction.
The oxidation and reduction reactions are also called redox reactions.
Example:
When copper oxide is heated with hydrogen, then copper metal and water are
formed.

 In the above reaction, copper oxide (CuO) is changing into copper (Cu), so
copper oxide is being reduced to copper.
 Hydrogen is changing into water (H2O), so hydrogen is being oxidized to
water.
 Copper oxide gives oxygen required for the oxidation of hydrogen;
therefore, copper oxide is oxidizing agent and hydrogen is reducing agent.

Effect of oxidation reactions in everyday life:

 Oxidation has a damaging effect on metals as well as on food.
 There are two common effects of oxidation reactions which we observe daily.
These are:

1. Corrosion of metals:
 Corrosion is the process in which metals are eaten up gradually by
the action of air, moisture or a chemical (such as an acid) on their
surface.
 Corrosion is caused mainly by the oxidation of metals by oxygen of air.
Rusting iron metal is the most common form of corrosion.
 During the corrosion of iron (rusting of iron), iron metal is oxidized by the
oxygen of air in the presence of water (moisture) to form hydrated iron (III)
oxide called rust.


Corrosion weakens the iron and steel objects and structures such as
railings, car bodies, bridges and ships, etc., and cuts short their life.
2. Rancidity
 When the fats and oils present in food materials get oxidized by the
oxygen (of air), their oxidation products have unpleasant smell and taste.
 The condition produced by aerial oxidation of fats and oils in foods marked
by unpleasant smell and taste is called rancidity.
 Rancidity spoils the food materials prepared in fats and oils which have
been kept for a considerable time and make them unfit for eating.
 The development of rancidity of food can be prevented or retarded
(slowed down) in the following ways:
 Rancidity can be prevented by adding antioxidants to foods
containing fats and oils:
 Rancidity can be prevented by packaging fats and oils containing
foods in nitrogen or helium gas.
 Rancidity can be retarded by keeping food in a refrigerator.
 Rancidity can be retarded by storing food in air-tight containers.
 Rancidity can be retarded by storing food away from light.