Chapter- 1

Chemical Reaction and Equations

Notes
Chemical Change

A chemical change happens when any two substances interact with

each other by gaining, sharing, or donating electrons.

• Whenever a chemical change occurs, we say that a chemical

reaction has taken place. For example, cooking of food,
respiration, digestion of food, and exposure of iron to the humid
atmosphere.
• Chemical change involves the change of state, change of colour,
the evolution of gas, or change of temperature.

Examples of Chemical Change

Let's do some activities to understand chemical reactions better.
Activity 1
Aim: Perform an activity to show that a chemical reaction has taken
place (change in state and change in colour).
Materials Required: Magnesium ribbon, Sandpaper, Tongs, Spirit
lamp or burner, Watch-glass, Suitable eyeglasses
Procedure:
(i) Clean a magnesium ribbon about 3-4 cm long by rubbing it with
sandpaper.
(ii) Hold it with a pair of tongs.
(iii) Burn it using a spirit lamp or burner and collect the ash so
formed in a china dish as shown in the Figure above.
(iv) Burn the magnesium ribbon keeping it away as far as possible
from your eyes.
Result:
As the magnesium ribbon burns, you will observe a dazzling white
flame and the ribbon will change into a white powder, which is the
magnesium oxide. This activity shows that a chemical reaction has
taken place as there is a change of state of the magnesium ribbon.

Activity 2
Aim: Perform an activity to show that a chemical reaction has taken
place (evolution of a gas and change of temperature).
Materials Required: Conical flask (250 mL), cork, glass tube, zinc
granules, dilute sulphuric acid.
 Formation of Hydrogen Gas by the action of Dilute Sulphuric Acid
on Zinc

Procedure:
(i) Set up the apparatus as shown in the above figure.
(ii) Remove the cork and glass tube. Place some dilute sulphuric acid
into it.
(iii) Add a few small granules of zinc and immediately close the flask
with the cork.
We observe that hydrogen gas is evolved which is indicated by the
bubbles.
On touching the flask, we find that it is hotter now than before.
Result:
This activity shows that a chemical reaction has taken place. Before
mixing the sulphuric acid and granules of zinc there were no fumes
and the flask was at room temperature. But after following all the
procedures given, some changes happened and that is the hotter
flask than before and bubbles of hydrogen are seen. Thus, there is
the evolution of gas and a temperature change.
Chemical Equations
The description of a chemical reaction in a short form is called
a chemical equation. Chemical equations make use of symbols to
represent factors such as the direction of the reaction and the
physical states of the reacting entities.
For example:
• In the above example, when magnesium and oxygen come into
contact and undergo a chemical reaction, they are referred to as
reactants. The resulting substance that is formed as a result of
this reaction is called the product, specifically magnesium oxide.
• The reactants are written on the left-hand side (LHS) with a plus
sign between them.
• Similarly, the products are written on the right-hand side
(RHS) with a plus sign between them.
• The arrowhead points towards the product and shows the
direction of the reaction.

Writing a Chemical Equation

Skeletal Chemical Equations
A chemical equation written in the form of symbols and formulae is
called a skeletal chemical equation. Such an equation may not be
balanced.

Skeletal chemical
equationIn the above equations, there are three carbon atoms on
the LHS while there is only one carbon atom on RHS hence, this
equation is not balanced, now let's see some Balanced chemical
equations.
Balanced Chemical Equations

No. of atoms on both sides

should be equal
A chemical equation in which the number of atoms of each element
on LHS and RHS is equal is called a balanced chemical equation.
Example: Zn + H2SO4 → ZnSO4 + H 2
This is a balanced equation because the number of atoms of Zn, H,
S, and O is equal on the reactant (LHS) and product (RHS) sides.
Types of Chemical Reactions
Chemical reactions involve breaking and making of bonds between
atoms to produce new substances.

(i)
Combination Reactions

A reaction in which a single product is formed from two or more

reactants is called a combination reaction.
Example:
(i) Burning of coal C(s) + O 2 (g) → CO2 (g)
(ii) Formation of water from H2 and O2. 2H2 (g) + O 2 (g) → 2H2O (I)
Now, let's do an activity to understand the combination reaction a
little more.
Activity 3
Aim: Perform an activity to illustrate a combination reaction.
Materials required: Beaker (500 mL ), water, calcium oxide ( quick
lime).
Procedure:
(i) Take a clean 500 mL Pyrex glass beaker.
(ii) Take about 50 g of quick lime in it.
(iii) Add about 100 ml water to it carefully.
 (iv) Quick lime (calcium oxide) reacts vigorously with water to form
a single product slaked lime Ca(OH) 2 and a large amount of heat is
evoked.

Formation of Slaked Lime by the Reaction of Calcium Oxide with

Water
CaO (s) + H2O (l) → Ca(OH) 2 (aq) + Heat
Some more examples of a combination reaction are: Burning of coal
C(s) + O 2 (g) → CO 2 (g)
Formation of water from H2 (g) and O2 (g)
2H2 (g) + O 2 (g) → 2H2O (l)
Observations:

• When water is added to quick lime, a suspension of slaked lime is

formed.
• On touching the beaker we feel it is hot.
• A clear solution appears as the suspension of slaked lime settles
down to the bottom of the beaker.
• On blowing exhaled air that contains sufficient carbon dioxide,
lime water turns milky.

Result:

• Quick lime reacts vigorously with water to produce slaked

lime releasing a large amount of heat. So the reaction is highly
exothermic.

• Slaked lime is only slightly soluble in water, so it forms

a suspension of slaked lime in water.
• The clear solution obtained after the suspension settles is
called lime water.
• Exhaled air contains CO2 which turns lime water milky.
• Calcium oxide and water react to form only a single
product, calcium hydroxide. So the reaction is a combination
reaction.

Interesting Fact:

White Washing of Buildings

A solution of slaked lime Ca(OH) 2 is applied on the walls and roofs.
After 2 or 3 days, slaked lime reacts with atmospheric carbon
dioxide and it changes into calcium carbonate.
Ca(OH) 2(aq) + CO 2(g) → CaCO 3(s) + H2O(l)
Calcium carbonate gives a shiny white finish to the walls.
(ii) Exothermic Reactions
Reactions which take place with the evolution of heat (increase of
temperature) are called exothermic reactions.

Evolution of heat in Exothermic reaction

Example: Burning of natural gas and respiration are exothermic
reactions.

• CH4(g) + 2O 2(g) → CO2(g) + 2H 2O(g) (Burning of natural gas)

• C6H12O6(aq) + 6O 2(g) → 6CO 2(g) + 6H 2O(l) (Respiration)
• The decomposition of vegetable matter into compost is also an
exothermic reaction.

(iii) Endothermic Reactions

Reactions which take place with absorption of heat (lowering of
temperature) are called endothermic reactions.
 Absorption of heat in Endothermic reaction
Example:

• Melting of ice cubes.

•
• Evaporating liquid water.

(iv) Decomposition Reactions

When a single reactant breaks down to give simpler products, it is
called a decomposition reaction. For example:

Let's do an activity to understand the decomposition reaction more.

Activity 4

Aim: Perform an activity to illustrate the decomposition reaction.

Materials required: Lead nitrate powder, boiling tube, test tube
holder, burner.
Procedure:
(i) Take a clean Pyrex glass boiling tube.
(ii) Add to it about 2 g powdered lead nitrate.
(iii) Using a test tube holder or pair of tongs, heat the test tube on a
Bunsen burner.
(iv) Note the change that takes place.
Observation: We observe that brown fumes are emitted from the
test tube.
The following reaction takes place in this activity:

Heating of lead nitrate and emission of nitrogen dioxide

Result:
In the above reaction, lead nitrate breaks down into simpler
products proving that this is the decomposition reaction.
Similarly, we can perform the activities of heating ferrous sulphate
crystals and calcium carbonate to illustrate decomposition
reactions.
Activity 5

Aim: Perform the electrolysis of water experiment to illustrate

the decomposition reaction.
 Materials required: A plastic mug, two graphite rods, two test
tubes, a 6 V battery, a switch, two rubber stoppers, and sulphuric
acid.

Electrolysis of Water
Procedure:
(i) Set up the apparatus as shown in Fig. above.
(ii) Fill the mug with water such that graphite rods are immersed.
Add a few drops of sulphuric acid.
(iii) Connect the electrodes to a 6 V battery and switch on the
current. Leave the apparatus undisturbed for some time.
(iv) Formation of bubbles at both electrodes will take place.
(v) The reaction that takes place is as follows:
2H2O (l) → 2H2 (g) + O 2 (g)
Observation:

• Hydrogen gas is collected in the test tube over the cathode while
oxygen gas is collected in the test tube over the anode.
• It is interesting to note that the volume of hydrogen collected is
twice the volume of oxygen as explained by the above chemical
equation.
• Hydrogen and oxygen gases can be identified as under: Bring a
burning candle near the tube placed over the cathode. A pop
sound is produced (hydrogen is a combustible gas).
• Again, bring the burning candle near the tube placed over the
anode. The flame gets brighter (oxygen is a supporter of
combustion).

Result: As we have seen in the reaction that water is converted into

very simple products like hydrogen and oxygen hence it is
a decomposition reaction.
Activity 6
Aim: Perform an activity (decomposition of silver salt) to illustrate
the decomposition reaction.
Materials required: China dish, silver chloride.

Silver chloride turns grey in sunlight to form silver metal

Procedure
(i) Take about 2 g silver chloride in a china dish (Fig. 1.6).
(ii) Place the china dish in sunlight for some time.
(iii) You will observe that silver chloride becomes grey after some
time.
Observation:
Silver chloride becomes grey after some time because silver
chloride undergoes decomposition by the action of sunlight
(sunlight is also a form of energy).
Result:
As we have seen in the above reaction Silver chloride breaks down
into simpler products like Silver and chlorine gas, hence proving
that this is a decomposition reaction.

(v) Displacement Reaction

A reaction in which one substance displaces another from the
aqueous solution is called displacement reaction.
A general reaction of this type may be represented as:

Thus C has displaced B in the above reaction.

Activity 7
Aim: Perform an activity to illustrate displacement reaction.
Materials required: Test tube, thread, stand with clamp, copper
sulphate solution, iron nails.
Procedure:
(i) Take three iron nails and clean them by rubbing them with
sandpaper.
(ii) Take two test tubes. Mark them A and B. In each test tube take
about 10 mL of copper sulphate solution.
(iii) Tie two nails with a thread and immerse them in the copper
sulphate solution in test tube B for about 20 minutes Fig. 1.7(a).
Keep one nail aside for comparison.
(iv) Take out the iron nails from the copper sulphate solution in test
tube B.
(v) Compare the colour of the copper sulphate solution in the two
test tubes.
Observation:
• It will be observed that the intensity of the blue colour has
decreased in test tube B compared to that in test tube A.
• Also, compare the colours on the nails. It will be seen that the nail
removed from the copper sulphate solution has a brown coating
of Cu on it.
• The following reaction takes place in the above experiment:

• Iron is more reactive than copper. It displaces copper from the

solution of copper salt.

Iron nails dipped in copper sulphate solution

 Iron nails and copper sulphate solutions compared before and after
the experiment

• Similarly, we can experiment using zinc or lead in place of Cu.

Both Zn and Pb are more reactive than Cu.
• Zinc and lead displace copper from the solution of CuSO 4 as per
the following equations:
Zn(s) + CuSO4(aq) → ZnSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
Pb(s) + CuSO4(aq) → PbSO4(aq) + Cu(s)
Copper which is displaced gets deposited on zinc or lead as the
brown coating.

(vi) Double Displacement Reaction

Reactions in which there is an exchange of ions between the
reactants are called double displacement reactions.
 Activity 8
Aim: Perform an activity to illustrate a double displacement
reaction.
Materials required: Two test tubes, sodium sulphate solution, and
barium chloride solution.
Procedure:
(i) Take two 20 mL clean test tubes.
(ii) Take 5 mL barium chloride solution in one test tube and 5 mL
sodium sulphate solution in the other test tube.
(iii) Add sodium sulphate solution to the test tube containing barium
chloride solution as shown in Fig. 1.8.
Observation:

• It will be observed that a white precipitate of barium sulphate is

formed as a result of the exchange of ions between the two
substances.
• Any reaction that produces a precipitate can be called a precipitation
reaction.
• Similarly, we can carry out the reaction between lead nitrate and
potassium iodide by mixing their aqueous solutions to illustrate a double
decomposition reaction.

(vii) Oxidation and Reduction

Reactions in which a substance gains oxygen or loses hydrogen is
called an oxidation reaction.
Similarly, a reaction in which a substance loses oxygen or gains
hydrogen is called a reduction reaction.
• If a substance gains oxygen during a reaction, it is said to
be oxidised. Similarly, if a substance loses oxygen during a
reaction, it is said to be reduced.
• One reactant gets oxidised while the other gets reduced during a
reaction. Such reactions are called reduction-oxidation reactions
or redox reactions.

Activity 9
Aim: Perform an activity to illustrate oxidation.
Materials required: China dish, copper powder, wire gauze, tripod
stand, burner.

Procedure:
(i) Take about 2 g copper powder in a clean china dish (Fig.1.9)
(ii) Place it on a wire gauze supported on a tripod stand.
(iii) Heat it for about 15 minutes.
Observation:
• It will be observed that copper powder becomes black because of the
formation of copper oxide (oxidation).

• We say that copper has been oxidised to copper oxide. Now, if we pass
hydrogen gas over heated CuO, we obtain Cu (Brown colour) back. This is
because CuO has been reduced to Cu.
CuO + H 2 → Cu + H 2O
• It may be schematically represented as under:

• Some other examples of redox reactions are:

ZnO + C → Zn + CO
MnO2 + 4HCl → MnCl 2 + 2H2O + Cl2

The Effects of Oxidation and Reduction Reaction in Everyday Life

(i) Corrosion
When a metal is attacked by substances around it such
as moisture, acids, etc., it is said to corrode and this process is
known as corrosion.

• Iron articles are shiny when new. But with time, they get coated
with a reddish-brown powder called rust. Silver articles become
black and copper articles become green on the surface due to
corrosion.
• Corrosion causes damage to car bodies, bridges, iron railings,
ships, etc.

(ii) Rancidity
When fats and oils are oxidised (or kept in open for some days),
their smell and taste changes. We say that they have gone rancid.
This phenomenon is called rancidity.

Rancidity

• Antioxidants are added to foods containing oils and fats

to prevent rancidity. The antioxidant substances that are
added to food are preferentially oxidised and thus they
prevent the oxidation of foods.
• Keeping food in air-tight containers helps to slow down
oxidation. Chips manufacturers flush bags of chips
with nitrogen to prevent chips from getting oxidised.