Types of Chemical Reactions: Study with Video Lessons, Practice Problems & Examples

Chemical reactions involve the transformation of reactants into products, categorized into types such as redox, combination, decomposition, combustion, single displacement, and double displacement. In combination reactions, multiple reactants yield one product, while decomposition reactions split one reactant into several products. Combustion typically involves carbon-containing compounds reacting with oxygen to produce water and carbon dioxide. Displacement reactions involve elements swapping places in compounds, crucial for understanding ionic compounds and reaction mechanisms. Recognizing these types enhances comprehension of complex chemical equations and processes.

Types of Chemical Reactions Concept 1

Alright. So chemical reactions are processes where reactants are broken down and reassembled into new products. And we're going to say here that types of chemical reactions are based on the changes reactions undergo and the types of products formed. Now one type of chemical reaction is redox reactions. In these types of chemical reactions, we have the involvement of the transference of electrons between reactants. Now besides redox reactants or redox reactions, we have other types of chemical reactions. So let's take a look here. And the first one we have is combination. In a combination, we have multiple reactants combine to form one product. So here we have sodium solid plus we have ClO aqueous. In a combination reaction, it will just combine together to give me one product. So here we have NaClO.

Decomposition can be seen as the opposite of combination. Here we have one reactant splits into multiple products. So here we have H₂O liquid, and depending on how we treat water, we can actually break it up into its elemental oxygen and hydrogen. So if I run enough power through this, I could change my water liquid into H₂ gas plus O₂ gas. So one reactant has broken up into multiple products.

Next, we have what's called combustion. In a combustion reaction, we typically have a compound composed of carbon and hydrogen, or carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. It reacts with oxygen to produce H₂O and CO₂. So here we have a compound composed of carbon and hydrogen reacting with O₂ to give us CO₂ and water. And here we have another compound now composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, also reacting with oxygen to produce CO₂ and water. Here, we're not too concerned with balancing these chemical reactions. It's more important to be able to recognize which type of chemical reactions we're dealing with.

The last 2 we have are single displacement and double displacement. In a single displacement reaction, we're going to say here that a single element replaces another element within a nearby compound. Here we have zinc metal and we have copper sulfite compound. In this example, our zinc metal displaces or removes copper metal. So what we get here is zinc sulfate, plus copper now by itself. So one reactant, a single element replaces another element within a nearby compound. That is a single displacement reaction.

Then finally we have a double displacement reaction. Here, we have ions from 2 reacting compounds swap places with each other. So basically we have barium nitrate reacting with sodium sulfate, so barium is going to swap places with sodium, so now barium is with sulfate, and then we have sodium combining with nitrate. And remember, the way we're combining these to make our products is based on our understanding of ionic compounds. If you ever watch my videos on forming ionic compounds, make sure you go back and take a look.

Here we have different types of chemical reactions with the key features that each one possesses. So it's important that you remember what makes it a combustion reaction, what makes it a combination reaction, etc. Being able to recognize these types of equations is going to prove very valuable later on when we start doing more complex type of questions.

Types of Chemical Reactions Example 1

Balance the following equation and indicate the type of chemical reaction it represents. Alright. So if we're going to balance this out, we have ammonium nitrate breaking down to give us dinitrogen monoxide and water. Now on this side, we have nitrogen, hydrogen, and oxygen involved. The polyatomic ions of NH₄ and NO₃ are not found on other sides so I can't just simply write them down. The other side is N, H, and O as well. Alright. So what we have here initially is we have 2 nitrogens, 4 hydrogens, and 3 oxygens. On the other side we have 2 nitrogens, 2 hydrogens, and 2 oxygens. So my nitrogens are the same, so that's good. Let's keep going. My hydrogens are not, so we're going to have to throw a 2 here. When I do that, that 2 gets distributed to the hydrogen to give me 4, but then I have 2 times 1 is 2 oxygens, plus 1 more is 3. And doing that, now my equation is totally balanced with the coefficient of 1 and 1 here. So we balance the equation and also we're going to say that we have one reactant breaking down or decomposed to give us multiple products. Gave me N₂O and water as products. So remember, if you have one reactant breaking down into multiple products, it is an example of decomposition. So here, the answer has to be option b.

Ibuprofen is used as an anti-inflammatory agent used to deal with pain and bring down fevers. If it has a molecular formula of C₁₃H₁₈O₂, determine the balanced combustion reaction when it is subjected to high temperatures.

Here we're told that Ibuprofen is used as an anti-inflammatory agent to deal with pain and bring down fevers. If it has a molecular formula of C13H18O2, determine the balanced combustion reaction when it is subjected to high temperatures. Alright. So in a combustion reaction, this compound would react with O2, and it would produce water plus CO2 as byproducts or as final products. Here we need to balance this out, so we're going to make a list. We have carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen on this side, carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen on this side. We have 13 carbons, 18 hydrogens, and 4 oxygens (2 from C13H18O2 and 2 from O2). Over here, we have 1 carbon, 2 hydrogens, and 3 oxygens. Here the numbers don't match for carbon, so what do I do? I have to put a 13 here. That 13 gets distributed to the carbon and to the oxygen. So we have 13 times 2, which is 26, plus one more oxygen is 27. Hydrogens don't match. This side has 18, the other side has 2, so I'm going to throw a 9 here. That 9 gets distributed to the hydrogens to give me 18, but it also gets distributed to the oxygen. So, I am going to have 9 oxygens here, plus the 26 over here with the CO2, for a total of 35. Alright. So we have to think about how I get 35 on the reactant side. Well, first off, we already account for 2 here. Right? We already have 2 oxygens there. So that means I need 33 more oxygens to get to 35 total on the reactant side. Can't use 16 as a coefficient because 16 times 2 is 32. Can't use 17 because 17 times 2 is 34. So the number I put here is 16.5. 16.5 times 2 gives me 33. 33 plus these 2 here would give me 35. Now remember, we cannot use decimals or fractions when it comes to coefficients. In these cases, we multiply the entire equation by 2. So we get new coefficients, so all the coefficients get multiplied by 2, since I'm multiplying the whole equation by 2. So, that'll give me 2 C13H18O2 + 33 O2 gives me 18 H2O + 26 CO2 as my products. So this would represent the balanced combustion reaction of Ibuprofen.

Indicate the type of chemical reaction taking place from the following equation:

• A. Combination
• B. Combustion
• C. Single Displacement
• D. Decomposition

Indicate the type of chemical reaction taking place from the following equation:

• A. Decomposition
• B. Double Displacement
• C. Combination
• D. Combustion

Indicate the type of chemical reaction taking place from the following equation:

• A. Single Displacement
• B. Combustion
• C. Redox Reaction
• D. Decomposition

Here’s what students ask on this topic:

What are the different types of chemical reactions?

Chemical reactions can be categorized into several types based on the changes they undergo and the products formed. The main types include:

• Combination Reactions: Multiple reactants combine to form one product. For example, ${\mathrm{Na}}_{}+{\mathrm{ClO}}_{}\to {\mathrm{NaClO}}_{}$.
• Decomposition Reactions: One reactant breaks down into multiple products. For example, $H_2{O}_{}\to H_2+O_2$.
• Combustion Reactions: Compounds containing carbon and hydrogen react with oxygen to produce water and carbon dioxide. For example, ${\mathrm{CH}}_4+O_2\to {\mathrm{CO}}_2+H_2{O}_{}$.
• Single Displacement Reactions: One element replaces another in a compound. For example, ${\mathrm{Zn}}_{}+{\mathrm{CuSO}}_4\to {\mathrm{ZnSO}}_4+{\mathrm{Cu}}_{}$.
• Double Displacement Reactions: Ions from two compounds swap places. For example, ${\mathrm{Ba(NO}}_3)2+{\mathrm{Na}}_{2_{{\mathrm{SO}}_4}}$.

What is a redox reaction?

A redox reaction, short for reduction-oxidation reaction, involves the transfer of electrons between two species. One reactant undergoes oxidation (loses electrons), while the other undergoes reduction (gains electrons). For example, in the reaction ${\mathrm{Zn}}_{}+{\mathrm{CuSO}}_4\to {\mathrm{ZnSO}}_4+{\mathrm{Cu}}_{}$, zinc is oxidized (loses electrons) and copper is reduced (gains electrons). Redox reactions are essential in various processes, including cellular respiration and combustion.

How can you identify a combustion reaction?

A combustion reaction typically involves a hydrocarbon (a compound containing carbon and hydrogen) reacting with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and water. The general form of a combustion reaction is $C_{\mathrm{x}}{H}_{\mathrm{y}}+O_2\to {\mathrm{CO}}_2+H_2{O}_{}$. For example, the combustion of methane is ${\mathrm{CH}}_4+O_2\to {\mathrm{CO}}_2+H_2{O}_{}$. Identifying combustion reactions is crucial in understanding energy production and environmental impact.

What is the difference between single displacement and double displacement reactions?

In a single displacement reaction, one element replaces another element in a compound. For example, ${\mathrm{Zn}}_{}+{\mathrm{CuSO}}_4\to {\mathrm{ZnSO}}_4+{\mathrm{Cu}}_{}$, where zinc displaces copper. In contrast, a double displacement reaction involves the exchange of ions between two compounds. For example, ${\mathrm{Ba(NO}}_3)2+{\mathrm{Na}}_{2_{{\mathrm{SO}}_4}}$, where barium and sodium ions swap places. Understanding these differences is essential for predicting reaction products and mechanisms.

How does a decomposition reaction differ from a combination reaction?

A decomposition reaction involves a single reactant breaking down into multiple products. For example, $H_2{O}_{}\to H_2+O_2$, where water decomposes into hydrogen and oxygen gases. In contrast, a combination reaction involves multiple reactants combining to form a single product. For example, ${\mathrm{Na}}_{}+{\mathrm{ClO}}_{}\to {\mathrm{NaClO}}_{}$, where sodium and chlorine combine to form sodium hypochlorite. Recognizing these reaction types helps in understanding chemical processes and predicting reaction outcomes.