TYPES OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS: DISCUSSION

J.T. Parker
Period 3
DISCUSSION
A chemical reaction is when substances react with each other forming a new substance
with a different chemical identity. Millions of chemical reactions occur everyday. They are
classified into five general types of chemical reactions: combination, decomposition,
combustion, single-replacement, and double-replacement. You can tell when a chemical reaction
is occurring if there is a color change, a heat change, a gas is produced, or when a precipitate
forms. When given reactants, you can predict their products by determining what type of reaction
is occurring. You can use this information to help you see if your experiment has worked or not.
In this experiment, the predicted products were observed.
Combination or synthesis reactions occur when two elements join together to form a
compound or when two compounds join together to form an even larger compound.
Decomposition reactions occur when a compound breaks into parts. Combustion reactions occur
when a hydrocarbon combines with oxygen. The product of a combustion reaction is always
carbon dioxide and water. Single-replacement reactions occur when a single element replaces an
element in a compound. Double-replacement reactions occur when an element from each of the
two compounds switch places. In this lab, only single and double replacements were observed.
In this experiment, we saw chemical reactions occur when: a gas was produced, a
precipitate was formed, and a color change was visible. When iron and copper sulfate reacted,
they formed copper and iron sulfate. This was an example of a color change being visible
because rust formed on the iron. When lead nitrate and potassium iodide reacted, they formed
lead iodide and potassium nitrate. This showed us a precipitate (potassium nitrate) being formed

TYPES OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS: DISCUSSION

at the bottom of the test tube. When magnesium and hydrochloric acid reacted, they formed
magnesium chloride and hydrogen gas. This is an example of a gas being formed.
A gas being formed, a precipitate being formed, and color change are not the only ways
you can tell if a chemical reaction has occurred. You can also tell that a chemical reaction has
occurred if there is an emission of light, or if there is an emission or absorption of heat taking
place. Reactions that give off or take in heat are called exothermic and endothermic reactions.
Endothermic and exothermic reactions cause the enthalpy, the sum of all potential and kinetic
energy, to change. This change causes a change in heat. For example, when carbon and oxygen
gas form carbon dioxide, heat is given off. This is a chemical reaction. An example of a chemical
reaction that emits light is in fireworks. The colors are produced when metal salts, such as
calcium chloride or sodium nitrate, are heated. Chemical reactions involving the emission of
light, or a change in heat happen everyday sometime we just dont realize it.
Chemical reactions are necessary for life. They occur multiple times a day and each of
them can have a different effect on the environment. Combination, decomposition, combustion,
single-replacement, and double-replacement are the five general types of chemical reactions. In
this experiment, only single-replacement and double-replacement occurred. You can tell a
chemical reaction has occurred if there is a color change, a heat change, an emission of light, a
precipitate forms, or if a gas is made. In the lab, only a color change, a precipitate forming, and a
gas forming was seen. As you can see, knowledge of chemical reactions is very important for
understanding chemical changes in the world and how they affect us.

TYPES OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS: DISCUSSION

Works Cited
Askew, Jim. (N/A). The Internet Science Room. Retrieved from
http://crescentok.com/staff/jaskew/isr/chemistry/class11.htm
Conkling, John, Marcel Decker. (1985). Chemistry of Pyrotechnics: Basic Principles and
Theory. Retrieved from http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/chemweek/fireworks/fireworks.htm
Foothill education. (N/A). Evidence of a Chemical Reaction. Retrieved from
http://www.foothill.edu/attach/1578/Ch.07_Lecture.pdf
Salmon, Alison. (N/A). UC Davis Chem Wiki. Retrieved from
http://chemwiki.ucdavis.edu/Physical_Chemistry/Equilibria/Le_Chatelier's_Principle/Effect_Of_
Temperature_On_Equilibrium_Composition/Exothermic_Versus_Endothermic_And_K