Different Types of Chemical Reactions

Examples of different reactions

Decomposition:
When a reactant breaks down to give two or more products, we call this type of reactiondecomposition.
calcium carbonate calcium oxide + carbon dioxide
Decomposition caused by heat is called thermal decomposition.
Decomposition can also be caused by light.
silver chloride silver + chlorine

Combination:
The reverse to decomposition - combination involves often two reactants reacting to form
just one product.
sodium + chlorine gas sodium chloride

Neutralisation:
When acids react with bases, they neutralise each other the products of a neutralisation reaction are
neither acids nor bases.
sodium hydroxide + hydrocholoric acid sodium chloride + water
The products of neutralisation are a salt and water.

Electrolysis:
This reaction involves the decomposition of a compound by electricity.
lead bromide lead + bromine gas

Fermentation:
Natural organisms, such as yeast can cause decomposition to occur. Yeast breaks down glucose, a sugar,
into alcohol.
glucose ethanol + carbon dioxide
This reaction is important to the yeast cells since it produces the energy they require to multiply. This
reaction is used in the making of beer and wines.
This reaction is also used in breadmaking.

Precipitation:
When a reaction involving two solutions produces an insoluble product. The product appears as a
precipitate. This reaction is known as precipitation.
barium nitrate + copper sulphate barium sulphate + copper nitrate
In this reaction it is the barium sulphate that appears as the precipitate.

Combustion:
This reaction involves the reaction of a substance with oxygen in the air. Sometimes the word burning is
used instead of combustion.

The substance that reacts with oxygen is said to be oxidised. The result is a product called an oxide.
This is an example of an exothermic reaction, one that gives out heat energy.
carbon + oxygen carbon dioxide
iron + oxygen iron oxide

Oxidation and reduction:

If a substance loses oxygen during a reaction it is reduced.
If a substance gains oxygen during a reaction it is oxidised.
Reduction and oxidation always take place at the same time.

For example: the reaction between black copper (II) oxide and hydrogen gas,
Electrolysis
Electrolysis is the decomposition of a compound using electricity:
The decomposition of molten lead bromide occurs using the apparatus above. A current is passed through
graphite rods called electrodes.
The negative terminal is attached to one rod, which becomes the negative electrode, the cathode.
The positive terminal is attached to the other rod. This becomes a positive electrode, the anode.

Note: The compound must be molten to allow the charged ions to flow. You cannot carry out electrolysis
on solid lead bromide.

How does lead bromide decompose?

The diagram above shows how the oppositely charged ions are attracted to oppositely charged electrodes.
Cations (positive ions - metal ions and hydrogen) travel to the negative electrode, the cathode.
Anions (negative ions - non-metal ions) travel to the positive electrode, the anode.
Cations are positive so the go to the negative electrode, the cathode.
Anions are negative so go to the positive electrode, the anode.
The electrolysis of other compounds

Summary of electrolysis:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

All ionic compounds when molten can be decomposed when electricity is passed through using electrolysis.
The metal and hydrogen always forms at the cathode.
Non-metal always forms at the anode.
Cations travel to the cathode.
Anions travel to the anode.
The electrodes are made from inert material such as graphite, so that they do not involve themselves with
the reaction.
7. The molten substance been electrolysed is called the electrolyte.

Electrochemical series

Cations
K+
Na+
Ca2+
Mg2+
Zn2+
Fe2+
Fe3+
Pb2+
H+
Cu2+
Ag+
Au+

Anions
SO42NO3OHClBrI-

Examples:

At the cathode:

At the anode:

At the cathode:

At the anode:

The electrolysis of solutions

When a salt is dissolved in water, its ions become mobile.
Hence, the solution can be electrolysed. However, the products from the salt solution will be different to
the molten solution because of the presence of the water, which itself produces ions.

During electrolysis, these ions compete with the metal and non-metal ions from the dissolved salts, to
receive or give up electrons.

So who wins?

At the cathode:
The more reactive a metal is the more it prefers being ions.
Therefore, if a reactive metal such as zinc or magnesium is present it will remain as the ions.
The H+ ions will accept the electrons and hydrogen gas will be given off at the cathode.
If a less reactive metal, such as copper or silver is present it would rather accept the electrons than H+.
Hence, the metal forms at the cathode.

At the anode:
If halide ions are present, Cl-, Br-, I-, they will give up there electrons to become molecules of Cl2,
Br2 and I2respectively.
If no halogen is present, OH- will give up electrons more readily than other non-metal ions, and oxygen
forms.

Examples:
Potassium bromide solution (aq):

At the cathode:

At the anode:

Copper (II) nitrate solution (aq):

At the cathode:

At the anode:

Using Electrolysis
Depositing metals - copper

Depositing Copper:
When a solution of copper (II) sulphate is electrolysed using copper electrodes the following
reactions occur:

At the cathode:
Copper ions become copper atoms:

The copper atoms deposit themselves on the cathode.

At the anode:
The copper anode dissolves, forming copper ions:

mass of copper lost at anode = mass of copper gained at cathode

This method is used to purify copper in industry. By placing the impure copper at the anode, pure copper is
formed at the cathode, as the copper ions migrate from the impure copper anode.
Electroplating
You can use electrolysis to coat one metal with another. This is called electroplating. Electroplating is
used a great deal in industry, for example; chrome-plating car bumpers.
If you wanted to coat a nickel vase with silver, you would set the vase as the cathode and the silver as the
anode.

At the anode: Silver dissolves forming silver ions.

At the cathode: Silver ions receive electrons and form a layer of silver on the vase.

The Chlor-alkali industry

The electrolysis of salt water:
This industry has been based around the electrolysis of brine, salty water!

At the cathode: Hydrogen bubbles off:

At the anode: Chlorine bubbles off:

Na+ and OH- ions are left behind, which means a solution of sodium hydroxide forms.
The products from the electrolysis of brine are:
1. sodium hydroxide.
2. chlorine.
3. hydrogen.
These products are used for many purposes:
Sodium hydroxide is used for making, soaps, detergents and paper.
Chlorine is used for making, PVC, solvents, bleach, drugs, hydrochloric acid , paints and dyes.
Hydrogen is used for making fuel for rockets and nylon.