Chemical Reactions and Equations

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to chemical reactions and equations, including definitions and explanations essential for understanding the subject.

Chemical Reaction

A process where bonds between atoms are broken and new bonds are formed, creating a new arrangement of atoms and at least one new substance.

Reactants

The original substances present in a chemical reaction, written on the left-hand side of a chemical equation.

Products

The new substances formed in a chemical reaction, written on the right-hand side of a chemical equation.

Types of Chemical Reactions

Categories of reactions such as acid-base, neutralization, synthesis, decomposition, combustion, and oxidation.

Balancing Chemical Equations

The process of ensuring that the same number of each type of atom appears on both sides of a chemical equation.

Law of Conservation of Mass

States that matter cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.

Acid-Base Reaction

A reaction where an acid reacts with a base to form a salt and water.

Combustion Reaction

A chemical reaction when a substance reacts with oxygen, releasing heat, water vapor, and carbon dioxide.

Neutralisation Reaction

A reaction between an acid and a base that produces water and a salt.

pH Scale

A scale that measures how acidic or basic a substance is, ranging from 0 (acidic) to 14 (basic), with 7 being neutral.

Diatomic Molecules

Substances containing exactly two atoms.

Fossil Fuels

Substances like coal, oil, and natural gas formed from the remains of ancient organisms.

Oxidation

A chemical reaction involving the loss of electrons.

Hydrocarbons

Compounds consisting only of hydrogen and carbon atoms.

Acid Rain

Rainwater, snow, or fog containing dissolved chemicals such as sulfur dioxide that make it acidic.

Green Chemistry

An approach to chemistry that seeks to minimize energy use and waste production in chemical processes.