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Chemical Reactions REACTIONS

11.1 Describing Chemical Reactions Essential Understanding

Chemical reactions are represented by balanced chemical

equations.

Lesson Summary Introduction to Chemical Equations A chemical equation uses symbols, and sometimes words, to show the reactants and products of a chemical reaction. A skeleton equation uses chemical formulas to represent reactants and products, but it does not indicate the relative amounts of each. Anything that enters into a reaction, such as heat or a catalyst, but is not a reactant or product is shown above or below the yields arrow in the equation.

Balancing Chemical Equations Chemical equations are balanced to show that mass is conserved during chemical reactions. A balanced equation shows the relative amounts of reactants and products, and it contains equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of the equation. Chemical equations are balanced by using coefficients in front of the chemical formulas for the reactants and the products in a skeleton equation.

BUILD Math Skills Balancing Equations All chemical equations must be balanced because of the law of conservation of mass, which states that matter cannot be created or destroyed. So, the number of atoms that you start with at the beginning of the reaction must equal the number of atoms that you end up with. For example, the reaction 2Mg + O2 → 2MgO follows the law of conservation of mass because you start with 2 magnesium atoms and 2 oxygen atoms and you end up with 2 magnesium atoms and 2 oxygen atoms. You can think of the → as an = sign. Turn the page to learn more about balancing equations.

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When balancing an equation, there are a few rules to remember: The subscripts of the molecules can never be altered. Only coefficients can be added. The coefficient placed in front of a molecule applies to all elements that make up that molecule. The number of atoms can be found by multiplying the coefficient by the subscript of the element. If no subscript appears, a subscript of 1 should be assumed. Molecules made up of many elements should have coefficients added first, with single elements remaining until last. If a molecule is placed in a parentheses with a subscript outside the parentheses, the subscript applies to all elements within the parentheses. If an element within the parentheses has a subscript, then you will multiply the subscripts to get the number of atoms.

Sample Problem Balance this equation: N2 + H2 → NH3.

First, add a coefficient to the molecule that contains the most elements. Because there are 2 nitrogen atoms in N2, add a coefficient 2 in front of NH3 so that the number of nitrogen atoms on each side are equal.

N2 + H2 → 2NH3

Next, look at how many hydrogen atoms are present. Hydrogen has a coefficient of 2 and a subscript of 3. So, 2 × 3 = 6 hydrogen atoms.

N2 + H2 → 2NH3

Since 6 hydrogen atoms are present on the right side of the equation, the left side must be balanced by adding a coefficient of 3.

N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3

Finally, check that the number of atoms for each element are equal on both sides of the equation. (reactants) → (products) N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3 2 N atoms + 6 H atoms = 2 N atoms + 6 H atoms Both sides are equal!

N2 + 3H2 → 2NH3 (balanced)

Now it’s your turn to practice balancing chemical equations. Remember that you will multiply the coefficients by the subscripts to get the total number of atoms.

1. Balance the equation for the reaction of benzene and hydrogen to form cyclohexane. C6H6 +

H2 → C6H12

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2. Balance the equation for ethane, C2H6, burning in oxygen to form carbon dioxide and steam. O2 → C2H6 + 3. Balance this chemical equation.

CO2 +

H2O

Fe2O3 + H2SO4 → Fe2(SO4)3 + H2O 4. Balance the equation for aluminum burning in oxygen to form aluminum oxide. Al + O2 → Al2O3 5. Balance the equation for ammonium carbonate so that it breaks down into gaseous ammonia, carbon dioxide, and steam. (NH4)2CO3 →

NH3 +

CO2 +

H2O

After reading Lesson 11.1, answer the following questions.

Introduction to Chemical Equations 6. A chemical reaction occurs when one or more more new substances called

change into one or .

7. The arrow in a reaction means

.

8. Is the following sentence true or false? When there are two or more reactants or products, they are separated by an arrow. 9. Write a word equation that describes the following reactions. a. Acetylene reacts with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. b. When heated, mercury(II) oxide chemically changes to form mercury and oxygen. 10. What is a chemical equation?

11. A chemical reaction that shows only the formulas but not the relative amounts of the reactants and products is a(n) . 12. Identify the reactant(s) and product(s) in the chemical equation Li + Br2 → LiBr. a. reactant(s)

b. product(s)

13. Circle the letter of each statement that is true about a catalyst. a. A catalyst is the new material produced as a result of a chemical reaction. b. A catalyst is not used up in a chemical reaction. c. A catalyst adds heat to a chemical reaction. d. A catalyst speeds up a chemical reaction.

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14. Use the symbols in Table 11.1 to write a skeleton equation for the following chemical reaction. Hydrochloric acid reacts with zinc to produce aqueous zinc(II) chloride and hydrogen gas.

Balancing Chemical Equations 15. What is the law of conservation of mass?

16. Complete the flowchart for balancing equations. Determine the correct formulas and physical states for the .

Write a

and

with the formulas for the reactants on the left and

the formulas for the products on the right of a yields sign (→).

Count the number of the products.

of each element in the reactants and in

Balance the number of atoms of the elements on the two sides of the equation by placing in front of formulas. Never try to balance an equation by changing the in formulas.

Check each atom or polyatomic ion to be sure the equation is and make sure that all coefficients are in the

, possible ratio.

17. Balance the following chemical equations. H2O(l) →

a.

Na(s) +

b.

AgNO3(aq) + Zn(s) → Zn(NO3)2(aq) +

NaOH(aq) + H2(g) Ag(s)

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DESCRIBING CHEMICAL REACTIONS Section Review Objectives • Explain how to write a word equation • Describe how to write a skeleton equation • List the steps for writing a complete chemical equation

Vocabulary • chemical equation • skeleton equation • catalyst

• coefficients • balanced equation

Part A Completion Use this completion exercise to check your understanding of the concepts and terms that are introduced in this section. Each blank can be completed with a term, short phrase, or number. A chemical reaction can be concisely represented by a chemical _______. 1

1.

The substances that undergo a chemical change are the _______. The new 2

2.

3 substances formed in a chemical reaction are the _______. In accordance with

3.

the law of conservation of _______, a chemical equation must be balanced. 4

4.

5 When balancing an equation, you place _______ in front of reactants and

5.

6 products so that the same number of atoms of each _______ are on each side of

6.

7 the equation. An equation must never be balanced by changing the _______ in

7.

the chemical formula of a substance.

8.

Special symbols are used to show the physical state of a substance in a

9.

8 9 reaction. The symbol for a liquid is _______; for a solid, _______; and for a gas,

10.

10 _______. A substance dissolved in water is designated _______. If a _______ 11 12 is

11.

used to increase the rate of a chemical reaction, its formula is written above the

12.

arrow.

Chapter 11 Chemical Reactions Section Review 1

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Part B True-False Classify each of these statements as always true, AT; sometimes true, ST; or never true, NT. 13. In an equation, a substance is shown to be in the gaseous state by placing an upward-pointing arrow after its formula. 14. The symbol ∆ placed over the arrow in an equation means that heat is supplied to the reaction.

15. Atoms are destroyed in a chemical reaction. 16. A skeleton equation is not a balanced equation.

Part C Matching Match each description in Column B to the correct term in Column A.

Column A

Column B

17. chemical equation

a. an equation in which each side has the same number of atoms of each element

18. skeleton equation

b. a substance that speeds up the rate of a reaction

19. catalyst

c. a symbolic way of describing a chemical reaction

20. coefficients

d. substances that undergo chemical change

21. balanced equation

e. a chemical equation that does not indicate the amounts of substances involved

22. reactants

f. new substances formed in a chemical reaction

23. products

g. numbers used to balance a chemical equation

Part D Questions and Problems Answer the following in the space provided 24. Write a balanced equation for each of these chemical reactions. Include appropriate symbols from Table 11.1. a. Aluminum reacts with aqueous hydrochloric acid to form hydrogen gas and aqueous aluminum chloride.

b. Acetylene gas (C2H2) burns in a welding torch with oxygen to form carbondioxide gas and water vapor.

2

Chapter 11 Chemical Reactions Section Review