Types of Chemical Reaction

Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA

1

Types of Chemical Reactions
Aiot o| Xoov Pco_tiovo ovo Eotco
By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph. D., About.com Guide

A chemical reaction is a process that is usually characterized by a chemical change in which the starting
materials (reactants) are different from the products. Chemical reactions tend to involve the motion
of electrons, leading to the formation and breaking of chemical bonds. There are several different types of
chemical reactions and more than one way of classifying them. Here are some common reaction types:
- Direct Combination or Synthesis Reaction
In a synthesis reaction two or more chemical species combine to form a more complex product.

A + B AB

The combination of iron and sulfur to form iron (II) sulfide is an example of a synthesis reaction:

8 Fe + S
8
8 FeS
- Chemical Decomposition or Analysis Reaction
In a decomposition reaction a compound is broken into smaller chemical species.

AB A + B

The electrolysis of water into oxygen and hydrogen gas is an example of a decomposition reaction:

2 H
2
O 2 H
2
+ O
2

- Single Displacement or Substitution Reaction
A substitution or single displacement reaction is characterized by one element being displaced from a
compound by another element.

A + BC AC + B

An example of a substitution reaction occurs when zinc combines with hydrochloric acid. The zinc
replaces the hydrogen:

Zn + 2 HCl ZnCl
2
+ H
2

- Metathesis or Double Displacement Reaction
In a double displacement or metathesis reaction two compounds exchange bonds or ions in order to form
different compounds.

AB + CD AD + CB

An example of a double displacement reaction occurs between sodium chloride and silver nitrate to form
sodium nitrate and silver chloride.

NaCl(aq) + AgNO
3
(aq) NaNO
3
(aq) + AgCl(s)
- Acid-Base Reaction
An acid-base reaction is type of double displacement reaction that occurs between an acid and a base.
The H
+
ion in the acid reacts with the OH
-
ion in the base to form water and an ionic salt:

HA + BOH H
2
O + BA

The reaction between hydrobromic acid (HBr) and sodium hydroxide is an example of an acid-base
reaction:
Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
2


HBr + NaOH NaBr + H
2
O
- Oxidation-Reduction or Redox Reaction
In a redox reaction the oxidation numbers of atoms are changed. Redox reactions may involve the
transfer of electrons between chemical species.

The reaction that occurs when In which I
2
is reduced to I
-
and S
2
O
3
2-
(thiosulfate anion) is oxidized to
S
4
O
6
2-
provides an example of a redox reaction:

2 S
2
O
3
2
(aq) + I
2
(aq) S
4
O
6
2
(aq) + 2 I

(aq)
- Combustion
A combustion reaction is a type of redox reaction in which a combustible material combines with an
oxidizer to form oxidized products and generate heat (exothermic reaction). Usually in a combustion
reaction oxygencombines with another compound to form carbon dioxide and water. An example of a
combustion reaction is the burning of naphthalene:

C
10
H
8
+ 12 O
2
10 CO
2
+ 4 H
2
O
- Isomerization
In an isomerization reaction, the stuctural arrangement of a compound is changed but its net atomic
composition remains the same.
- Hydrolysis Reaction
A hydrolysis reaction involves water. The general form for a hydrolysis reaction is:

X
-
(aq) + H
2
O(l) <--> HX(aq) + OH
-
(aq)
Some Common Types of Chemical Reactions
1. When two elements react, a combination reaction occurs (think: could any other type of reaction occur?),
producing a binary compound (that is, one consisting of only two types of atoms). If a metal and a nonmetal
react, the product is ionic with a formula determined by the charges on the ions the elements form. If two
nonmetals react, the product is a molecule with polar covalent bonds, with a formula consistent with the
normal valences of the atoms involved. Some pairs of elements may react only slowly and require heating
for significant reaction to occur.
Examples:
K + S
8
K
2
S (ionic)
Ca + O
2
CaO (ionic)
Al + I
2
AlI
3
(ionic)
H
2
+ O
2
H
2
O (covalent)
I
2
+ Cl
2
ICl, ICl
3
, or ICl
5
(covalent)
(exact product depends on relative amounts of I
2
and Cl
2
)
(NOTE: The above reactions are not balanced, nor were they intended to be. They, like the others in
this handout, are meant only to show the correct formulae for the reactants and products. You may
wish to balance the reactions in the handout as an exercise.)
2. Reaction of a metal oxide with water produces a metal hydroxide; that is, a strong base. Reaction
of a nonmetal oxide with water produces an oxyacid in which the nonmetal is in the same oxidation
state as in the oxide you started with. Both of these are combination reactions, and both can be
reversed by heating the products. Metal hydroxides decompose on heating to give the metal oxide
and water, and oxyacids decompose on heating to give water and the nonmetal oxide in the
appropriate oxidation state.
Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
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Examples:
Na
2
O + H
2
O NaOH
MgO + H
2
O Mg(OH)
2

SO
2
+ H
2
O H
2
SO
3

Cl
2
O
5
+ H
2
O HClO
3

HNO
3
N
2
O
5
+ H
2
O
Fe(OH)
3
Fe
2
O
3
+ H
2
O
3. Reaction of a metal oxide with a nonmetal oxide gives an oxysalt; reaction of a metal hydroxide
with a nonmetal oxide produces a "hydrogen" oxysalt. This is essentially a reaction of the O
2-
or OH
-
in the metal compound with the molecular nonmetal oxide. This combination reaction occurs only if
no water is present; in the presence of water, the nonmetal and metal oxides react with the water to
produce acid and hydroxide, respectively (as shown in (2) above), then these react as in (4) below.
Examples:
CaO(s) + SO
3
(g) CaSO
4
(s)
NaOH(s) + CO
2
(g) NaHCO
3
(s)
4. Reaction of an acid with a base gives a salt plus water. The cation in the salt comes from the base;
the anion comes from the acid. The base may be a metal hydroxide, a metal oxide, or a weak base
such as NH
3
. The acid and/or base may be pure solids, liquids, or gases, or in aqueous solution. The
oxidation states of the anion of the acid and cation of the base normally remain unchanged.
Examples:
HCl(aq) + Ca(OH)
2
(aq) CaCl
2
(aq) + H
2
O(l)
H
2
SO
4
(aq) + Fe(OH)
3
(s) Fe
2
(SO
4
)
3
(aq) + H
2
O(l)
NH
3
(g) + HC
2
H
3
O
2
(l) NH
4
C
2
H
3
O
2
(s)
Al
2
O
3
(s) + HClO
4
(aq) Al(ClO
4
)
3
(aq) + H
2
O(l)
5. Ammonium salts react with metal hydroxides and oxides in an acid-base reaction to
produce ammonia. This is essentially the reverse of one of the reaction types mentioned in (4) above.
Either or both of the reactants may be a pure material or in aqueous solution.
Examples:
NH
4
Cl(aq) + KOH(aq) NH
3
(g) + H
2
O(l) + KCl(aq)
NH
4
NO
3
(s) + CaO(s) NH
3
(g) + H
2
O(l) + Ca(NO
3
)
2
(s)
6. Reaction of the salt of a weak acid (that is, a compound containing the anion of a weak acid) with
a strong acid produces the weak acid and a salt. This is another example of an acid-base reaction, in
addition to the ones given in (4) and (5) above. The original salt of the weak acid may be either a
pure solid or in aqueous solution. The cation in the salt formed as the product comes from the weak
acid salt; the anion in the product salt comes from the strong acid. In many cases, the weak acid
produced is unstable and decomposes to give the oxide of a nonmetal and water (see (2) above). This
is especially true if the nonmetal oxide is a compound of limited solubility in water such as SO
2
,
CO
2
, or the nitrogen oxides. The best-known examples of this type of reaction involve carbonates,
bicarbonates, sulfides, and sulfites, but many other examples are known as well. Normally, these
reactions do not involve oxidation or reduction.
Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
4

Examples:
BaCO
3
(s) + HBr(aq) BaBr
2
(aq) + H
2
O(l) + CO
2
(g)
NaHCO
3
(aq) + H
2
SO
4
(aq) Na
2
SO
4
(aq) + CO
2
(g) + H
2
O(l)
MgS(s) + HCl(aq) H
2
S(g) + MgCl
2
(aq)
K
2
SO
3
(aq) + HNO
3
(aq) KNO
3
(aq) + SO
2
(g) + H
2
O(l)
Ca
3
(PO
4
)
2
(s) + HCl(aq) CaCl
2
(aq) + H
3
PO
4
(aq)
Zn(C
2
H
3
O
2
)
2
(aq) + HBr(aq) ZnBr
2
(aq) + HC
2
H
3
O
2
(aq)
7. Reaction of solutions of two soluble salts with one another can give a precipitate of an insoluble
salt formed by a double replacement reaction (also called ametathesis). Whether or not a precipitate
forms depends on the exact combination of salts used. To make a prediction as to whether a reaction
will take place or not, you must know the solubility rules for common salts (Ebbing 4/e, page 104;
lab manual, Appendix 7). Some combinations of salts may give oxidation-reduction reactions (see
(11) below), but most do not.
Examples:
CaCl
2
(aq) + K
2
CO
3
(aq) CaCO
3
(s) + KCl(aq)
AgNO
3
(aq) + FeCl
3
(aq) AgCl(s) + Fe(NO
3
)
3
(aq)
but: NiSO
4
(aq) + MgI
2
(aq) no reaction
(NiI
2
and MgSO
4
are both soluble)
Al(NO
3
)
3
(aq) + Pb(C
2
H
3
O
2
)
2
(aq) no reaction
(Al(C
2
H
3
O
2
)
3
and Pb(NO
3
)
2
are both soluble)
8. Heating an oxysalt produces a metal oxide plus a nonmetal oxide or a metal salt plus oxygen, or
some combination of these two decomposition reactions.
Examples:
KClO
3
(s) KCl(s) + O
2
(g)
CaCO
3
(s) CaO(s) + CO
2
(g)
Pb(NO
3
)
2
(s) PbO(s) + NO(g) + NO
2
(g) + O
2
(g)
9. Heating a hydrated material initially causes a decomposition reaction to produce the anhydrous
compound and water. Further heating may yield further decomposition, depending on the material.
(See (2) and (8) above.) Most binary compounds are stable to heat.
Examples:
H
2
C
2
O
4
.
2H
2
O(s) H
2
O(g) + H
2
C
2
O
4
(s); followed by
H
2
C
2
O
4
(s) H
2
O(g) + CO(g) + CO
2
(g)
CaCl
2
.
6H
2
O(s) H
2
O(g) + CaCl
2
(s); followed by
CaCl
2
(s) no reaction
CuSO
4
.
5H
2
O(s) H
2
O(g) + CuSO
4
(s); followed by
CuSO
4
(s) CuO(s) + SO
3
(g) (requires strong heating)
Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
5

10. Reaction of an element with a compound often gives a single replacement reaction in which a
nonmetallic element can replace a combined nonmetal, and a metallic element can replace a
combined metal, or hydrogen from an acid. As a general rule, a more active (reactive) element will
replace a less active (reactive) element from its compounds. In general (but with many exceptions),
the most reactive nonmetals are found to the upper right in the periodic table, and the most reactive
metals are found to the lower left. The order of reactivity of the halogens is F
2
>Cl
2
>Br
2
>I
2
. For
hydrogen and the more common metals, the order of reactivity (the activity series) is
Li>K>Ca>Na>Mg>Al>Zn>Cr>Fe>Ni>Sn>Pb>H
2
>Cu>Hg>Ag>Pt>Au
In these two series, one element can replace another one to its right in the series. Metals to the left of
H
2
can replace H
+
from acids. The very reactive metals (Li, K, Na, Ca) can replace H
+
from cold
water; metals of intermediate reactivity (Mg, Al) can replace H
+
from hot water or steam. Any single
replacement reaction can also be categorized as an oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction.
Examples:
Al(s) + NiSO
4
(aq) Al
2
(SO
4
)
3
(aq) + Ni(s)
Fe(s) + HBr(aq) FeBr
3
(aq) + H
2
(g)
Cl
2
(g) + KI(aq) KCl(aq) + I
2
(s)
Na(s) + H
2
O(l) NaOH(aq) + H
2
(g)
Zn(s) + Cu(NO
3
)
2
(aq) Cu(s) + Zn(NO
3
)
2
(aq)
but: Ag(s) + HClO
4
(aq) no reaction
Br
2
(l) + ZnCl
2
(aq) no reaction
Sn(s) + H
2
O(l) no reaction
Pb(s) + CrF
3
(aq) no reaction
11. Compounds containing one or more atoms in high oxidation states often act as oxidizing agents;
compounds containing atoms in low oxidation states often act as reducing agents. For most elements,
the (old) group number of the atom in the periodic table gives the highest oxidation state possible for
that element. For nonmetals, the lowest oxidation state possible is given by the (old) group number
minus eight. Elemental metals most often act as reducing agents (they are oxidized); nonmetals
frequently act as oxidizing agents (they are reduced).
For the representative elements (i.e., those in the first two and last six columns of the periodic table),
oxidation states most often are two units apart. For example, Sn forms Sn(II) and Sn(IV); Br forms
Br
1-
, Br(I), Br(III), Br(V), and Br(VII). For the transition elements, (i.e., those in the "center" ten
columns of the periodic table), oxidation states are often one unit apart, but can be in almost any
relationship to one another. For the transition elements, the common oxidation states (charges on
their ions) must be memorized. For example, Fe forms Fe
2+
and Fe
3+
; Cu forms Cu
+
and Cu
2+
, etc.
Some of the transition elements form oxyanions as well as cations. For example, Mn forms Mn
2+
,
Mn
3+
, MnO
4
2-
, and MnO
4
-
; Cr forms Cr
2+
, Cr
3+
, CrO
4
2-
, and Cr
2
O
7
2-
.
Any atom in its highest possible oxidation state can only act as an oxidizing agent; any atom in its
lowest possible oxidation state can only act as a reducing agent. Atoms in intermediate oxidation
states can be either oxidized or reduced; that is, they can act as either reducing or oxidizing agents.
Some of the oxidizing agents most commonly encountered are MnO
4
-
, CrO
4
2-
, Cr
2
O
7
2-
, HNO
3
, H
2
O
2
,
and the halogens. Some of the more common reducing agents are elemental H
2
, metals, carbon, and
I
-
.
Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
6

In predicting products of oxidation-reduction reactions, don't forget their name--oxidation and
reduction must occur simultaneously! It is impossible for oxidation to occur without reduction or
vice versa.
Examples:
Sn
2+
(aq) + F
2
(g) Sn
4+
(aq) + F
-
(aq)
Mn
2+
(aq) + BiO
3
-
(aq) Bi
3+
(aq) + MnO
4
-
(aq)
(note that the Bi is in its highest possible oxidation state in BiO
3
-
)
K(s) + P
4
O
10
(s) K
3
PO
3
(s)
(note that P is reduced from P(V) to P(III))
MnO
4
-
(aq) + I
-
(aq) Mn
2+
(aq) + I
2
(aq)
CuS(s) + HNO
3
(aq) Cu(NO
3
)
2
(aq) + S
8
(s) + NO
2
(g)
(note S
2-
S
0
and N(V) N(IV))
Fe
2
O
3
(s) + C(s) CO
2
(g) + Fe(s)
[REACT101.S94/AJP1]
1. When reactions occur between a metal like Fe, Cu, Sn, etc. (multiple ions possible metals: Fe
2+
and
Fe
3+
) reacts with reactive gases like O
2
, F
2
, Cl
2
with the addition of heat, Fe will ionize itself to maximum
positive charge (-ic metal ions). Example:
2Fe(s) + 3Cl
2
(g) + heat 2FeCl
3
(s)
2. When applying the rule of "Free Halogens + Dilute OH
-
Hypohalites ions," the addition of halide ions
(such as Cl
-
) to the equation are required to obtain full credit on the reaction equations. Example:
Cl
2
(g) + 2OH
-
ClO
-
+ Cl
-
+ H
2
O
3. When the oxides of an alkali metal (Family 1), Ca, Ba, or Sr dissolve in water, hydroxides will form,
but no gases will be released. Example:
K
2
O(s) + H
2
O 2K
+
+ 2OH
-

4. When the hydrides of an alkali metal (Family 1), Ca, Ba, or Sr dissolve in water, hydroxides will form
and H
2
gas is released. Example:
LiH(s) + H
2
O Li
+
+ OH
-
+ H
2
(g)
5. Look for "battery" reactions (activity series of metals). When you are not sure which one will undergo
changes, look at the reduction potential chart given in the AP Test (the metal with greatest potential will
reduce). Examples:
Mg(s) + 2Ag
+
Mg
2+
+ 2Ag(s)
6. Be aware of Disproportionation Redox Reactions. These are the reactions when a portion substance is
oxidized while the rest is reduced. The same chemical substance undergoes both oxidation and reduction.
NO
2
and H
2
O
2
are classic chemicals that have this ability. Example:
3NO
2
(g) + H
2
O 2H
+
(aq) + 2NO
3
-
(aq) + NO(g)
Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
7

7. (Trick #1) When you see electrolysis such as KI in water, and you are stuck on whether H
2
gas will form
from which side. The following is the solution that always works. You know potassium is always going to
the negative electrode. Let say K forms at the negative electrode (cathode) and immediately undergoes
reaction with water:
2K + 2H
2
O 2KOH + H
2

Since all these happens on the negative electrode. So, H
2
gas forms from the negative electrode and that's
exactly what happens when water reduces at the cathode.
8. (Trick #2) When CuSO
4
(aq) is electrolyzed, you know that Cu metal is going to form because copper's
potential is higher than water. So, positive side will attract SO
4
2-
ions. Nevertheless, SO
4
2-
can't further
oxidize (full of oxygen and no more unshared pair of electrons possible for further oxidation). As the result,
you should use the other side of the hydrolysis in Trick #1: instead of OH
-
, put H
+
; instead of H
2
, put O
2
.
This makes sense because when you electrolyze H
2
O, you get H
2
, and O
2
; and OH
-
and H
+
from each
electrode will neutralize and become water again.
2Cu
2+
+ 2H
2
O O
2
+ 4H
+
+ 2Cu
9. (Trick #3) When you recognize great oxidizers like Cr
2
O
7
2-
, MnO
4
-
, and MnO
2
, with acidified solutions in
the test, but you may not remember what they turn into. So, remember the definition of an oxidizer: the
ability to give off its oxygen components. So, acidified Cr
2
O
7
2-
, turn into Cr
3+
and MnO
2
, and MnO
4
-
will
turn to Mn
2+
. As you can see, the oxygen components are "ripped off" and form water with H
+
ions.
A chemical reaction is a process in which one set of chemical substances (reactants) is converted into
another (products). It involves making and breaking chemical bonds and the rearrangement of atoms.
Chemical reactions are represented by balanced chemical equations, with chemical formulas symbolizing
reactants and products. For specific chemical reactants, two questions may be posed about a possible
chemical reaction. First, will a reaction occur? Second, what are the possible products if a reaction occurs?
This






Sulfur reacting to heat.

Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
8


entry will focus only on the second question. The most reliable answer is obtained by conducting an
experimentmixing the reactants and then isolating and identifying the products. We can also use
periodicity, since elements within the same group in the Periodic Table undergo similar reactions. Finally,
we can use rules to help predict the products of reactions, based on the classification of inorganic chemical
reactions into four general categories: combination, decomposition, single-displacement, and double-
displacement reactions.
Reactions may also be classified according to whether the oxidation number of one or more elements
changes. Those reactions in which a change in oxidation number occurs are called oxidationreduction
reactions . One element increases its oxidation number (is oxidized), while the other decreases its oxidation
number (is reduced).


Combination Reactions
In combination reactions, two substances, either elements or compounds, react to produce a single
compound. One type of combination reaction involves two elements. Most metals react with most
nonmetals to form ionic compounds. The products can be predicted from the charges expected for cations of
the metal and anions of the nonmetal. For example, the product of the reaction between aluminum and
bromine can be predicted from the following charges: 3+ for aluminum ion and 1 for bromide ion. Since
there is a change in the oxidation numbers of the elements, this type of reaction is an oxidationreduction
reaction:
2Al ( s ) + 3Br
2
( g ) 2AlBr
3
( s )
Similarly, a nonmetal may react with a more reactive nonmetal to form a covalent compound. The
composition of the product is predicted from the common oxidation numbers of the elements, positive for
Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
9

the less reactive and negative for the more reactive nonmetal (usually located closer to the upper right side
of the Periodic Table). For example, sulfur reacts with oxygen gas to form gaseous sulfur dioxide:
S
8
( s ) + 8O
2
( g ) 8SO
2
( g )
A compound and an element may unite to form another compound if in the original compound, the element
with a positive oxidation number has an accessible higher oxidation number. Carbon monoxide, formed by
the burning of hydrocarbons under conditions of oxygen deficiency, reacts with oxygen to form carbon
dioxide:
2CO ( g ) + O
2
( g ) 2CO
2
( g )
The oxidation number of carbon changes from +2 to +4 so this reaction is an oxidationreduction reaction.
Two compounds may react to form a new compound. For example, calcium oxide (or lime) reacts with
carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate (limestone):
CaO ( s ) + CO
2
( g ) CaCO
3
( s )
Decomposition Reactions
When a compound undergoes a decomposition reaction, usually when heated, it breaks down into its
component elements or simpler compounds. The products of a decomposition reaction are determined
largely by the identity of the anion in the compound. The ammonium ion also has characteristic
decomposition reactions.
A few binary compounds decompose to their constituent elements upon heating. This is an oxidation
reduction reaction since the elements undergo a change in oxidation number. For example, the oxides and
halides of noble metals (primarily Au, Pt, and Hg) decompose when heated. When red solid mercury(II)
oxide is heated, it decomposes to liquid metallic mercury and oxygen gas:
2HgO ( s ) 2Hg ( l ) + O
2
( g )
Some nonmetal oxides, such as the halogen oxides, also decompose upon heating:
Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
10

2Cl
2
O
5
( g ) 2Cl
2
( g ) + 5O
2
( g )
Other nonmetal oxides, such as dinitrogen pentoxide, decompose to an element and a compound:
2N
2
O
5
( g ) O
2
( g ) + 4NO
2
( g )
Many metal salts containing oxoanions decompose upon heating. These salts either give off oxygen gas,
forming a metal salt with a different nonmetal anion, or they give off a nonmetal oxide, forming a metal
oxide. For example, metal nitrates containing Group 1A or 2A metals or aluminum decompose to metal
nitrites and oxygen gas:
Mg(NO
3
)
2
( s ) Mg(NO
2
)
2
( s ) + O
2
( g )
All other metal nitrates decompose to metal oxides, along with nitrogen dioxide and oxygen:
2Cu(NO
3
)
2
( s ) 2CuO ( s ) + 4NO
2
( g ) + O
2
( g )
Salts of the halogen oxoanions decompose to halides and oxygen upon heating:
2KBrO
3
( s ) 2KBr ( s ) + 3O
2
( g )
Carbonates, except for those of the alkali metals, decompose to oxides and carbon dioxide.
CaCO
3
( s ) CaO ( s ) + CO
2
( g )
A number of compoundshydrates, hydroxides, and oxoacidsthat contain water or its components lose
water when heated. Hydrates, compounds that contain water molecules, lose water to form anhydrous
compounds, free of molecular water.
CaSO
4
2H
2
O ( s ) CaSO
4
( s ) + 2H
2
O ( g )
Metal hydroxides are converted to metal oxides by heating:
2Fe(OH)
3
( s ) Fe
2
O
3
( s ) + 3H
2
O ( g )
Most oxoacids lose water until no hydrogen remains, leaving a nonmetal oxide:
Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
11

H
2
SO
4
( l ) H
2
O ( g ) + SO
3
( g )
Oxoanion salts that contain hydrogen ions break down into the corresponding oxoanion salts and oxoacids:
Ca(HSO
4
)
2
( s ) CaSO
4
( s ) + H
2
SO
4
( l )
Finally, some ammonium salts undergo an oxidationreduction reaction when heated. Common salts of this
type are ammonium dichromate, ammonium permanganate, ammonium nitrate, and ammonium nitrite.
When these salts decompose, they give off nitrogen gas and water.
(NH
4
)
2
Cr
2
O
7
( s ) Cr
2
O
3
( s ) + 4H
2
O ( g ) + N
2
( g )
2NH
4
NO
3
( s ) 2N
2
( g ) + 4H
2
O ( g ) + O
2
( g )
Ammonium salts, which do not contain an oxidizing agent, lose ammonia gas upon heating:
(NH
4
)
2
SO
4
( s ) 2NH
3
( g ) + H
2
SO
4
( l )
Single-Displacement Reactions
In a single-displacement reaction, a free element displaces another element from a compound to produce a
different compound and a different free element. A more active element displaces a less active element from
its compounds. These are all oxidationreduction reactions. An example is the thermite reaction between
aluminum and iron(III) oxide:
2Al ( s ) + Fe
2
O
3
( s ) Al
2
O
3
( s ) + 2Fe ( l )
The element displaced from the compound is always the more metallic elementthe one nearer the bottom
left of the Periodic Table. The displaced element need not always be a metal, however. Consider a common
type of single-displacement reaction, the displacement of hydrogen from water or from acids by metals.
The very active metals react with water. For example, calcium reacts with water to form calcium hydroxide
and hydrogen gas. Calcium metal has an oxidation number of 0, whereas Ca
2+
in Ca(OH)
2
has an oxidation
number of +2, so calcium is oxidized. Hydrogen's oxidation number changes from +1 to 0, so it is reduced.
Types of Chemical Reaction
Mark Angelo T. Arellano BSMT-IA
12

Ca ( s ) + 2H
2
O ( l ) Ca(OH)
2
( aq ) + H
2
( g )
Some metals, such as magnesium, do not react with cold water, but react slowly with steam:
Mg ( s ) + 2H
2
O ( g ) Mg(OH)
2
( aq ) + H
2
( g )
Still less active metals, such as iron, do not react with water at all, but react with acids.
Fe ( s ) + 2HCl ( aq ) FeCl
2
( aq ) + H
2
( g )
Metals that are even less active, such as copper, generally do not react with acids.
To determine which metals react with water or with acids, we can use an activity series (see Figure 1), a list
of metals in order of decreasing activity. Elements at the top of the series react with cold water. Elements
above hydrogen in the series react with acids; elements below hydrogen do not react to release hydrogen
gas.
The displacement of hydrogen from water or acids is just one type of single-displacement reaction. Other
elements can also be displaced from their compounds. For example, copper metal reduces aqueous
solutions of ionic silver compounds, such as silver nitrate, to deposit silver metal. The copper is oxidized.
Cu ( s ) + 2AgNO
3
( aq ) Cu(NO
3
)
2
( aq ) + 2Ag ( s )
The activity series can be used to predict which single-displacement reactions will take place. The elemental
metal produced is always lower in the activity series than the displacing element. Thus, iron could be
displaced from FeCl
2
by zinc metal but not by tin.