Chapter 4: Chemical Reactions & Chemical Quantities

Chemical reaction

A process by which one or more substances convert to one or more different substances; see also chemical change.

Combustion reaction

A type of chemical reaction in which a substance combines with oxygen to form one or more oxygen-containing compounds; the reaction often causes the evolution of heat and light in the form of a flame.

Chemical equation

A symbolic representation of a chemical reaction; a balanced equation contains equal numbers of the atoms of each element on both sides of the equation.

Reactants

The starting substances of a chemical reaction; they appear on the left-hand side of a chemical equation.

Products

The substances produced in a chemical reaction; they appear on the right-hand side of a chemical equation.

Balanced chemical equation

A symbolic representation of a chemical reaction; a balanced equation contains equal numbers of the atoms of each element on both sides of the equation.

Stoichiometry

The numerical relationships between amounts of reactants and products in a balanced chemical equation.

Limiting reactant

The reactant that has the smallest stoichiometric amount in a reactant mixture and consequently limits the amount of product in a chemical reaction.

Excess reactants

(reactants) The reactants that do not limit the amount of product

Theoretical yield

The greatest possible amount of product that can be made in a chemical reaction based on the amount of limiting reactant.

Actual yield

The amount of product actually produced by a chemical reaction.

Percent yield

The percentage of the theoretical yield of a chemical reaction that is actually produced; the ratio of the actual yield to the theoretical yield multiplied by 100%.