General Chemistry Reaction Types Flashcards

Chemical Reactions

• Chemical Reaction: Transforms one or more starting materials into new substances.
• Chemical Equation: Represents the chemical reaction using symbols.
• Reactant/Reagent: The substance that undergoes change in a chemical reaction.
• Product: New substance produced from a chemical reaction.
• Intermediate: Temporary substance formed during the conversion from reactants to products, often not shown in the equation.

Conservation and Balancing

• Law of Conservation of Matter: Mass is conserved; atoms in the reactants must equal atoms in the products.
• Balancing Equations: Essential steps include identifying reactants/products, balancing elements with fewer molecules first, and adjusting coefficients to eliminate fractions.

Classifying Reactions

• Two main classifications: based on compositions of reactants/products and reactions' driving forces.

Types of Reactions

• Combination Reactions: Two or more reactants combine to form one product (e.g., A + B → AB).
• Specific Types of Combination Reactions: Include combustion, formation, and corrosion.

Reaction Examples

• Combustion Reactions: Involves burning a substance in gas; releases energy (e.g., 3Mg + N2 → Mg3N2).
• Formation Reactions: Produce a single product from elements in standard states (e.g., 3C + 4H2 → C3H8).

Decomposition and Driving Forces

• Decomposition Reactions: A compound breaks down into two or more substances, often due to heat or light (e.g., AB → A + B).
• Driving Forces: Include increasing entropy, electron transfer for stability, and precipitation formation.

Displacement Reactions

• Single Displacement: An atom replaces another in a compound (e.g., A + BC → AB + C).
• Double Displacement: Two compounds exchange elements and form two new compounds (e.g., AB + CD → AC + BD).

Redox Reactions

• Redox: Electrons transfer occurs; involves oxidation (loss) and reduction (gain) of electrons.
• Oxidation Number: Indicates the charge of an atom in a molecule or ion; rules exist for assigning these numbers.

Acids and Bases

• Bronsted-Lowry Definition: Acids donate protons; bases accept protons.
• Lewis Definition: Acids are electron pair acceptors; bases are electron pair donors.

Precipitation Reactions

• Form solid products from reactants in a metathesis reaction (e.g., NaOH + AgNO3 → NaNO3 + AgOH).

Summary of Key Points

• Balancing is crucial for accurate chemical equations.
• Understanding the driving forces helps to predict the direction and feasibility of reactions.
• The role of oxidizing and reducing agents is critical in redox reactions.

This quiz features flashcards covering essential chemical reaction terminology. Each card includes a word and its corresponding definition, focusing on concepts such as chemical reactions, reactants, and products. Perfect for students looking to reinforce their understanding of chemical processes.