Chemical Reactions

Abstract

Chemical change involves a reorganization of the atoms in one or more substances. Chemical reactions can be represented in chemical equations using words, structures, or chemical formulas. Since chemical reactions fulfill the Conservation of Mass Law that atoms are neither created nor destroyed during a chemical process, chemical equations must be balanced with the same number of each element before and after the reaction.  Chemical reactions can be classified by generalized reaction types.

After completing this activity, students will be able to identify reactants and products in a chemical reaction from different representations (words, formulas, symbols, models); write a balanced chemical equation; and identify the type of chemical reaction from the chemical equation.

Level: Undergraduate

Setting: Classroom

Activity Type: Learning Cycle

Discipline: Chemistry

Course: General Chemistry, Introductory Chemistry

Keywords: Writing reactions, Balancing Reactions, Classifying Chemical Reactions, Synthesis, Decomposition, Single Displacement, Double Displacement, Combustion