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Describing Chemical Reactions 6.

1
Chemical reactions are everywhere, resulting in changes that we see all
around us: fires burn, grass grows, joggers run, milk sours, autumn leaves
change colour, and marshmallows toast to a golden brown (Figure 1).
In a chemical reaction, one or more substances change into different
substances. One of the most familiar types of chemical reaction is
combustion (burning). We use combustion reactions to cook our food, heat
our homes, and travel long distances. Combustion reactions can also lead
to many health and environmental problems. Chemists have developed a
set of rules that enable people around the world to communicate and share
information about chemical reactions. In this chapter, you will learn some of
these rules of communication. Figure 1 Combustion is a chemical
reaction that releases energy.
Describing Chemical Reactions chemical reaction a process in which
with Equations substances interact, causing the formation
of new substances with new properties
Chemists use equations to describe chemical reactions. You will learn how
to write and interpret two kinds of equations. In word equations, the names word equation a way of describing a
of the chemicals are written out in full. In chemical equations, chemical chemical reaction using the names of the
reactants and products
formulas are used to represent the chemicals.
chemical equation a way of describing
Examples of Word and Chemical Equations a chemical reaction using the chemical
During a chemical reaction, reactant particles collide, allowing their atoms (or formulas of the reactants and products
ions) to rearrange and form products. Reactants are the substances that are reactant a chemical, present at the start
used up during the reaction. Products are the substances that are produced of a chemical reaction, that is used up
during the reaction. Figure 2 shows the reaction that occurs when a mixture during the reaction
of powdered iron and sulfur is heated. The reactants in this case are iron and product a chemical that is produced
sulfur. The product is iron(II) sulfide. Chemical reactions can either absorb or during a chemical reaction
release energy. In this reaction, more energy is released than is absorbed. The
word “energy” is therefore written on the right side of the equation, with the
products. If energy is absorbed, it is written with the reactants.
We can communicate the reaction between iron and sulfur using either
a word equation or a chemical equation. Since energy is released in this
reaction, “energy” is written on the right side of the chemical equation.
Reactants yields Products LeaRning Tip
Clues of a Chemical Reaction
Word equation: iron + sulfur → iron(II) sulfide + energy
Look back to Table 2 in Section 5.1.
These clues indicate that a chemical
Chemical equation: Fe + S → FeS + energy reaction may be taking place.

(a) (b) (c)

Figure 2 (a) Powdered iron (black) is mixed with powdered sulfur (yellow). (b) Heating the mixture starts
the chemical reaction. (c) The final product is iron(II) sulfide.

NEL 6.1 Describing Chemical Reactions 225


Word equations and chemical equations have a lot in common:
• An arrow indicates the direction in which the chemical reaction
is going. The arrow is read as “yields,” “forms,” or “produces.”
• Substances to the left of the arrow are called reactants.
• Substances to the right of the arrow are called products.
• If several reactants are involved, “+” signs are placed between the reactants.
This indicates that the reactants must be in contact with each other.
• If several products are formed, “+” signs are placed between the products.
Both equations list the reactants and products of the reaction. The
chemical equation, however, provides far more detail: it gives the chemical
state symbol a symbol indicating the formulas of the reactants and products as well as their state. State symbols
physical state of the chemical at room tell us the state, or form, of each substance in a chemical equation. For
temperature (i.e., solid (s), liquid (l), gas
example, the state symbol (s) means “solid.” All the chemicals involved in this
(g), or aqueous (aq))
reaction are solids. Table 1 summarizes the most common state symbols.
Now look at Figure 3. Pale green copper(II) carbonate absorbs energy
Table 1 Common State Symbols in to produce carbon dioxide gas and copper(II) oxide. The equations for this
Chemical Equations reaction are:
State symbol Meaning Word equation:
(s) solid energy + copper(II) carbonate → carbon dioxide + copper(II) oxide
(l) liquid
Chemical equation:
energy + CuCO3(s) → CO2(g) + CuO(s)
(g) gaseous
The state symbols in this case tell you that the reactant is a solid and that
(aq) aqueous (dissolved
in water) the products are a gas and a solid. Since energy must be absorbed for this
reaction to occur, the energy term is written on the left side of the equation.
One final example: if a piece of zinc metal is placed in a solution of
copper(II) sulfate, a fuzzy reddish-brown coating forms on the zinc (Figure 4).
After about 20 min, the entire zinc strip is covered by this new solid.
Reading Tip
Word equation:
Making Inferences
Look for context clues such as zinc + copper sulfate → zinc sulfate + copper + energy
significant words, comparisons, Chemical equation:
or contrasts. For example, in the
comparison of word and chemical Zn(s) + CuSO4 (aq) → ZnSO4 (aq) + Cu(s) + energy
equations, you notice an arrow pointing The state symbol (aq) tells us that the chemical is dissolved in water. Both
right. From the direction of the arrow,
you infer that the reactants on the left
reactants and products can be aqueous.
of the arrow lead to the products on
the right of the arrow. You infer that the
direction of the arrow is a visual symbol
to help you understand these equations.

Figure 3 Pale green copper(II) carbonate Figure 4 The first test tube contains copper(II)
reacts to become black copper(II) oxide when sulfate solution. The second test tube contains
it is heated. the same solution and also a strip of zinc. The
blue colour of the solution fades as a reddish-
brown solid forms on the zinc. What is this solid?
226 Chapter 6 • Chemicals and Their Reactions NEL
in SUMMARY
• Chemical reactions always involve one or more • We can use word equations or chemical equations
reactants changing to give one or more products. to describe chemical reactions. In both, the
• State symbols are oft en written aft er a chemical reactants are written on the left and an arrow
formula to indicate the state of the substance. points right, toward the products.

CHECK YOUR LeaRning


1. What is the purpose of the arrow in a chemical equation? K/U 5. Consider the following chemical equation:
2. Write word equations for the following reactions: K/U Zn(s) + H2SO4(aq) → H2(g) + ZnSO4(aq) + energy K/U

(a) Acetic acid (vinegar) and sodium hydrogen carbonate (a) Name the products of this reaction.
(baking soda) react to form water, carbon dioxide, and (b) What liquid is also present in the reaction vessel, along
sodium acetate. with the reactants and products?
(b) Aluminum metal reacts with oxygen from the air to form a (c) What evidence would indicate that this reaction is occurring?
protective coating called aluminum oxide.
(d) Will the test tube in which this reaction is occurring
(c) Water and carbon dioxide are produced when propane become warmer or cooler during the reaction? Why?
burns in oxygen.
(e) What evidence would indicate that the reaction has stopped?
3. Some barbecues cook food by burning charcoal. (Charcoal is
(f) How does the quantity of zinc metal change as the
mostly carbon.) The chemical equation for this reaction is
reaction proceeds?
C(s) + O2(g) → CO2(g) K/U T /I
6. Take another look at the figures in this section. For each
(a) Write the word equation, including an energy term, for figure, what evidence suggests that a chemical change has
this reaction. taken place? K/U
(b) Write the state of each substance in the reaction. 7. In a burning marshmallow (Figure 1 on page 225), sugar
(c) What evidence suggests that a chemical change is breaks down into carbon (the black residue) and water
taking place? vapour. K/U T/I
(d) What would you expect to see when this reaction (a) Write a word equation for this reaction.
is complete? (b) What evidence tells you that the reaction is complete?
4. Consider the reaction in Figure 5: (c) Write a hypothesis predicting how the mass of a
AgNO3(aq) + NaCl(aq) → AgCl(s) + NaNO3(aq) K/U marshmallow will change from before to after burning.
(a) Name the reactants and products in this reaction. Include an explanation in your prediction.
(b) Name the chemicals that are dissolved in water. 8. Bread rises due to the action of a single-celled organism
called yeast. Yeast converts some glucose molecules in bread
(c) Name the white solid.
dough into carbon dioxide and ethanol. Carbon dioxide and
(d) What physical property do both reactants have in common? ethanol then bubble through the dough, making it rise. K/U
(a) Write a word equation for this reaction.
(b) Is the action of carbon dioxide a physical or chemical
change? Explain.
9. Under the right conditions, some chemical reactions can be
reversed. For example, K/U A
(a) An important step in bottling carbonated soft drinks
is bubbling carbon dioxide gas into cold water and
then sealing the bottle. Inside, a solution of hydrogen
carbonate (also know as carbonic acid), H2CO3(aq), soon
forms. Write the chemical equation for this reaction.
(b) Describe two things you could do to quickly reverse
this reaction.
Figure 5 When two aqueous reactants
mix, they sometimes form a solid product.

NEL 6.1 Describing Chemical Reactions 227

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