CHM 161 Chapter 8: Chemical Reactions and Equations

chemical equation

A concise way of representing a chemical reaction.

reactants

An initial substance in a chemical equation.

products

A final substance in a chemical equation.

coefficient

A number in a chemical equation indicating more than one molecule of the substance.

balanced

A condition when the reactants and products of a chemical equation have the same number of atoms of all elements present.

single-displacement reaction

A chemical reaction in which one element is substituted for another element in a compound.

activity series

A list of elements that will replace elements below them in single-displacement reactions.

double-displacement reaction

A chemical reaction in which parts of two ionic compounds are exchanged.

precipitation reaction

A chemical reaction in which two ionic compounds are dissolved in water and form a new ionic compound that does not dissolve.

precipitate

A solid that falls out of solution in a precipitation reaction.

solubility rules

General statements that predict which ionic compounds dissolve and which do not.

complete ionic equation

A chemical equation in which the dissolved ionic compounds are written as separated ions.

spectator ions

An ion that does nothing in the overall course of a chemical reaction.

net ionic equation

A chemical equation with the spectator ions removed.

composition reaction

A chemical reaction in which a single substance is produced from multiple reactants.

decomposition reaction

A chemical reaction in which a single substance becomes more than one substance.

dissociation

The process of an ionic compound separating into ions when it dissolves.

combustion reaction

A chemical reaction in which a reactant combines with oxygen to produce oxides of all other elements as products.