Chemical Reactions and Equations

Physical Changes: a change of state and do not create a new substance. Ice melting to water, to dry ice subliming to produce fog are physical changes.

Chemical changes: a reaction where one or more substances is transformed into one or more new products.
They are can be identified by observing:
* A substance 'disapears'
* A gas is given off (effervescence)
* A solid is precipitated
* A colour change occurs
* A new odour is released
* Light is given off

Chemical Equations - used to represent a chemical reaction, showing reactants and products and their physical states. Catalysts and other agents can also be shown above the arrow between sides.

Reactants ----> Products


To Write a Chemical Equation: A General Guide

1. Write out reactants on the left and products on the right, often obtained from information given in a question, including states.

2. Change the little numbers at the bottom to balance the charges of each compound

3. Balance equation to satisfy law of conservation of mass - each element must have the same number of atoms on either side of the reaction.


Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Common Literary Techniques in Tim Winton's 'The Turning'

Ionic Compounds

Covalent Compounds