1. Types of Reactions

2. General information
When writing a chemical reaction, there are THREE parts that need to be included.
Reactants
Arrow (which means “yields” or “to yield”)
Products
Example: Magnesium + Hydrochloric acid  Magnesium chloride + Hydrogen
Reactants
Products
Yields or To Yield

3. Synthesis General format: A + B  AB Only has ONE PRODUCT
Example: Burning Magnesium Demo
Usually an element + another element  a compound
Special cases:
Metal oxide + water  Metal hydroxide
Metal oxide + carbon dioxide  Metal carbonate
Metal chloride + oxygen  Metal chlorate
Carbon dioxide + water  Carbonic acid
Diphosphorus pentoxide + water  Phosphoric acid
If oxygen is one of the reactants (example: magnesium + oxygen  magnesium oxide) then the reaction is also considered a combustion reaction.

4. Decomposition General format: AB  A + B Only has ONE REACTANT
Example: Elephant toothpaste demo
Usually a compound  an element + another element
Special cases:
Metal hydroxide (heated strongly)  Metal oxide + water
Carbonic acid  Carbon dioxide + Water
Phosphoric acid  Diphosphorus pentoxide + Water
Metal carbonate (heated strongly)  Metal oxide + Carbon dioxide
Metal chlorate (heated strongly)  Metal chloride + Oxygen

5. Combustion List of first TEN hydrocarbons:
General format: Hydrocarbon + Oxygen  Carbon dioxide + Water
Or Fuel + Oxygen  Fuel Oxide
List of first TEN hydrocarbons:
Methane * Pentane * Nonane
Ethane * Hexane * Decane
Propane * Heptane
Butane * Octane
Combustions reactions NEED OXYGEN. You can’t burn anything without oxygen!
Examples: Whoosh bottle, lighting a Bunsen burner, Gasoline burning in a car engine

6. Single Replacement General format: AB + C  CB + A
Usually a compound + an element  a different compound + a different element
Use ACTIVITY SERIES
The more active element will always want to be bonded in a compound and can replace a less active element.
Example: The thermite reaction
Iron (III) oxide + Aluminum  Aluminum oxide + Iron
Example #2
Silver nitrate + Copper  Copper (II) nitrate + Silver

7. Double Replacement General format: AB + CD  AD + CB
Usually a reaction between two solutions
Products will be a new solution and a Precipitate
Precipitate: A solid that forms after mixing two aqueous solutions together.
The solid forms because the precipitate is not soluble in water.
Use SOLUBILITY CHART
Check products of reaction on solubility chart
If one product is not soluble, then a precipitate is formed
Example: Lead (II) nitrate + Potassium iodide  Lead (II) iodide + Potassium nitrate
Special cases:
Metal Carbonate + Any acid  Soluble compound + Carbon dioxide + Water
Example: Sodium carbonate + Nitric acid  Sodium nitrate + Carbon dioxide + Water
Acid + Base  Soluble compound + Water
Example: Hydrochloric acid + Sodium hydroxide  Sodium chloride + Water
A base is ANY metal hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide, Magnesium hydroxide, Potassium hydroxide, Calcium hydroxide, Iron (II) hydroxide, etc…