Types of Reactions

In order to fully understand what is happening with a chemical reaction you had to be able to first understand what is happening. To do this first you have to understand the concept that matter can't be made or destroyed. With this in mind that means that when a chemical reaction happens that each side of the equation has to be balanced. For Example: To start it off basic when you have 2Na+Cl2----> 2NaCl. This equation above is balanced and a synthesis reaction. A synthesis reaction occurs when two or more substances react to produce a single product. Another simple equation: C+O2----> CO2 and this is a combustion reaction. A combustion reaction is when oxygen combines with a substance and releases energy in the form of heat and light. Note that some of the combustion reactions are synthesis reactions too like the one above, but not all are this way. CH4+2O2---->CO2+2H2O, This is an example of a combustion equation that isn't also synthesis. Another type of reaction is the decomposition reaction. This reaction occurs when a singe compound breaks down into two or more elements or new compounds. NH4NO3--->N2O+2H2O is an example of this reaction. There is also two different types of on kind of reaction, single and double replacement reactions. A single replacement reaction happens when a retain in which the atoms of one element replace the atoms of another element in a compound. When 2Li+2H2O--->2LiOH+H2 is an example because as you can see the Oxygen and Hydrogen combines with lithium. Then a double replacement occurs like this; Ca(OH)2+CuCl2--->CaCl2+Cu(OH)2. A simple to think of this is AX+BY--->AY+BX,  this helped me a lot when dealing with all the reactions that we looked at in class.

              1. Synthesis Reaction

              2. Decomposition Reaction

              3. Single Replacement Reaction

              4. Double Replacement Reaction



By knowing how to balance equations it helps to understand what the reactions do. For example when you perform a lab it is easy to do a lab report because you know exactly what is happening in the reaction. We did many different labs in class (will try to get pictures up soon), but we had to balance equations and work ineptly in order to really tell what was going on with the reaction that was occurring in front of our eyes. Knowing how to balance equations and understand what is happening has made me look deeply into the world that we live in. I will never be able to look at anything the same again. When anyone goes to light a candle or even grill a steak, I will be able to look into what is happening and possibly even be a little educated and show my parents what I have been learning by explaining what is happening. It will be a fun process now that I have this deep of knowledge into this really fun field of science.