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A Clear Explanation on the Characteristics of Chemical Reactions

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When one or more substances, the reactants, undergo transformation into another or more substances, the products, the process is referred to as a chemical reaction. 

Substances can be classified as either chemical elements or chemical compounds. 

A chemical reaction occurs when the constituent atoms of the reactants are rearranged, resulting in the formation of distinct substances as products. 

All around us, chemical processes are taking place, from the metabolism of food in our bodies to how we receive sunlight, which is the outcome of chemical reactions, for example.

Because of the large number of chemical reactions that occur in our environment, a nomenclature was devised to make it easier to express a chemical reaction in the form of a chemical equation in a more straightforward manner. 

A chemical equation is nothing more than a mathematical statement that represents the formation of a product from reactants while also specifying the conditions under which the reaction has been carried out in the first place.

Chemical Reactions are classified into several categories

The product created, the changes that take place, the reactants involved, and so on serve as the basis for various types of reactions, among other things. 

There are several different sorts of reactions:-

  1. Combustion reaction
  2. Decomposition reaction
  3. Neutralisation reaction
  4. Redox Reaction
  5. Precipitation or Double-Displacement Reaction
  6. Synthesis reaction

The characteristics of chemical reaction

The following are the features of a chemical reaction: 

  • Evolution of gas.
  • Formation of a precipitate.
  • Change in color.
  • Change in temperature.
  • Change in state.
  • Formation of new substances.

Evolution Of Gas

As the name suggests, gas evolution reactions include the formation of gases such as oxygen or carbon dioxide as a result of chemical reactions. 

A fume chamber can be used for gas evolution reactions where the gases produced are hazardous if inhaled or explosive if they are released into the surrounding environment.

Formation of a precipitate

In some cases, a chemical reaction might result in the creation of precipitates. 

Sulphuric acid combines with a barium chloride solution to generate a white precipitate of barium sulphate, which is a chemical compound.

 In the reaction between potassium iodide and lead(II) nitrate solutions, a yellow precipitate of lead(II) iodide is generated as a result of the reaction.

Alteration in colour

A shift in colour may also be indicative of the occurrence of a chemical reaction. 

It is possible that a reaction has occurred when two solutions are mixed and a colour change occurs that is not merely the consequence of dilution of one of the reactant solutions. 

When a solid and a liquid are combined, it is possible that a colour shift will occur.

A rise or fall in temperature

Temperature increases in an exothermic reaction when energy is released as a result of the reaction taking place. 

When energy is absorbed in an endothermic reaction, the temperature of the surrounding environment lowers. 

Placing a thermometer in the reaction mixture will allow you to keep track of any temperature fluctuations.

Change in the situation of affairs

In contrast to physical changes, which include changes of state such as ice melting and water evaporating to form vapour, chemical reactions are characterised by the formation of new molecules. 

When a physical change happens in a substance, the physical qualities of the substance will change, but the chemical identity of the substance will remain unchanged.

New compounds are formed by chemical reactions.

A chemical reaction occurs when two or more compounds mix or break apart in order to generate one or more new ones. 

When bonds are broken and new bonds are formed, new substances are formed. New substances have chemical properties that differ from those of their parent substances, which is a good thing.

 Illustration of Chemical Reactions in Synthesis:

Synthesis is the process of combining two ingredients to create something entirely new.

The following are some examples of straightforward synthesis reactions:

The reactions of hydrogen and oxygen result in the formation of water. Iron and oxygen result in the formation of rust.

 The combination of chloride lime and carbon dioxide results in calcium carbonate is a type of carbonate that contains calcium (used to strengthen masonry)

Examples of Chemical Reactions Involving Decomposition

An example is when a chemical reacts to an external stimulus by dissolving into two simpler elements (AB into A and B), which is known as a decomposition reaction.

In the following procedures, you’ll find decomposition reactions taking place:

hydrogen and water —> water and hydrogen (electrolysis)

Carbonic acid is a type of acid that occurs naturally in the environment.

 Carbon dioxide and water are two of the most important elements in the environment (when a soft drink loses its bubbles)

Proteins and carbohydrates are found in food (digestion process)

Examples of Chemical Reactions using a Single Replacement Component

A chemical reaction can sometimes remove an element from a compound while simultaneously adding it to another one (A + BC = B + AC).

Single replacement reactions can be shown by the following examples:

Zinc combined with hydrochloric acid —> zinc chloride in combination with hydrogen gas

zinc nitrate combined with silver nitrate —> zinc nitrate and silver metal are examples of compounds.

calcium in combination with water The 

reactions are as follows: calcium hydroxide, hydrogen iron, copper nitrate, iron nitrate, copper metal.

Conclusion

All around us, chemical processes are taking place, from the metabolism of food in our bodies to how sunlight is produced as a result of chemical interactions, and everything in between.

 Before commencing with chemical reactions, it is necessary to understand the concepts of physical and chemical transformations.

Product formation is depicted on the right-hand side of the diagram, with reactants and products connected by arrows with one or two heads on each side of the diagram. As an illustration, consider a reaction.

A + B = C + D.

In this case, A and B are the reactants, and their reaction produces the products C and D.

 An actual chemical equation is denoted by the chemical formulas of the reactants used in the equation. 

A chemical equation must be balanced in order to ensure that the law of conservation of mass is followed, which means that the number of atoms on both sides of the equation must be equal. 

This is the process of bringing the equation back into balance.

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