Chemical Reactions Glossary

Chemical reaction - when one or more substances are added together or have something done to them to induce (create) a change in the initial substance or substances

Irreversible Reaction – A reaction in which you cannot get the original reactants (ingredients) back out of the reaction in their original state

Reversible Reaction – A reaction in which you can do something to the original reactants to change them in some way then reverse that process

Precipitation Reaction – this is where to or more reactants that have been dissolved in a liquid  when mixed together form a compound that is insoluble, this means that the compound will precipitate and form a layer of compound at the bottom of the liquid

Acid-Base (Neutralization) Reaction – this is where you take an acid and a base (a substance that can dissociate to have more – ions than + ions) to form a neutral solution

Oxidation-Reduction Reaction – these reactions have to do with the movement or sharing of electrons (the negative portions of an atom) between one atom or molecule or another

Combustion Reaction – these reactions are what happens when you burn a fuel in the presence of Oxygen and get water, carbon dioxide (sometimes a few other molecular compounds)

Synthesis Reaction – is when you combine two or more reactants to form one compound

Decomposition Reaction – this reaction is the reverse reaction of a synthesis reaction, you take a compound and split it into different atoms or molecules that when combined make up that compound