Study Guide Science Grade 8 Chemical Reactions 1

CHEMICAL REACTIONS
Reactants and Products

When a chemical reaction occurs, the original substances put
together, called reactants, lose their chemical properties and become
different substances called products with a different set of chemical
properties. Look at the example below:
H2 + O2  H20
Reactants product
In this example, an explosive gas, Hydrogen, combines with a gas that

supports combustion, Oxygen, to make a substance that puts out fires,
water.
Lesson Checkpoint: What is a reactant?
Energy in Reactions
There are two types of evidence to show that a chemical reaction
occurs.
• The first is the simple fact that the products of the reaction have
different chemical properties than the reactants. The fact that
Hydrogen and Oxygen
Sign IncombineSign
to make
Upwater is a clear example of
this.
• The second type of evidence has to do with energy. In some cases
energy has to be absorbed in order for the reaction to occur and in
other reactions, energy is released. When energy is absorbed, it is
called an endothermic reaction.
• Reactions where energy is released are called exothermic

reactions. An example of an exothermic reaction would be a rocket
taking off. The burning of fuel provides the heat which causes the
rocket to lift off.
Lesson Checkpoint:
What is the difference between an endothermic and an
exothermic chemical reaction?
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Types of Chemical Reactions
There are four types of chemical reactions:
• In a synthesis reaction, two elements combine to make a

compound. See the example below.
• In a decomposition reaction, a compound is broken down into

simpler substances.
In the example above, the reactant, hydrogen peroxide, is

broken down into water and oxygen.
• In a single replacement reaction, an element takes the place

of another element in a compound. See the example below.
In this example, the element Fluorine has taken the place of

Chlorine in the original compound
• In a double replacement reaction, elements in one compound

Sign In
exchange positions Sign Up
with elements in the other compound. See
the example below.
In this example Sodium(Na) has taken the place of H and H has

taken the place of Na.
Lesson Checkpoint: In which type of chemical reaction

does one element take the place of another element?

Mass Remains Constant
According to the law of conservation of mass, mass can not either
be destroyed or created in a chemical reaction. This means that the
total mass of each element does not change during the reaction. See
the example below.
H2 + 02----H20
If you count the atoms of each element, you will notice that there are
more oxygen atoms on the left side than on the right side. To
correctly write this reaction we need to use a coefficient or number
placed in front of the chemical formula. The reaction below has been
balanced with the use of coefficients.
In this balanced reaction, there are four atoms of Hydrogen on each

side of side of the reaction and two atoms of Oxygen on each side of
the reaction.
All chemical reactions need to be balanced to properly represent how

the reaction actually occurs.
Lesson Checkpoint:
What is the Law of Conservation of Mass?
Affecting Reaction Rate
SignanIninitial burst
Some reactions require SignofUp
energy to get the reaction
going. This is called activation energy. The outcome of a reaction
using activation energy could still be endothermic or exothermic.
Once a chemical reaction gets going there are several factors that
control the rate at which the reaction occurs.
• Increasing the surface area of the reactants or increasing the
temperature usually speeds up a reaction.
• Another way to speed up a reaction is by increasing the
concentration or amount of reactants.
• Still another way to move the reaction along is to use a catalyst
or enzyme. These are substances added to the reaction just to
speed it up but they are not involved like the reactants. An
enzyme brings reactants into contact to speed up the reaction.
The enzyme does not change.
Lesson Checkpoint: Name two steps you can take to

speed up a chemical reaction.


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CHEMICAL REACTIONS

Reactants and Products

In this example, an explosive gas, Hydrogen, combines with a gas that

Lesson Checkpoint: What is a reactant?

• Reactions where energy is released are called exothermic

© Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved.

• In a synthesis reaction, two elements combine to make a

• In a decomposition reaction, a compound is broken down into

In the example above, the reactant, hydrogen peroxide, is

• In a single replacement reaction, an element takes the place

In this example, the element Fluorine has taken the place of

• In a double replacement reaction, elements in one compound

In this example Sodium(Na) has taken the place of H and H has

Lesson Checkpoint: In which type of chemical reaction

© Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved.

In this balanced reaction, there are four atoms of Hydrogen on each

All chemical reactions need to be balanced to properly represent how

Lesson Checkpoint: Name two steps you can take to

© Copyright NewPath Learning. All Rights Reserved.

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