R.Stacey+Teaching+Reactions+Wiki

  The Five Types of Chemical Reactions

A chemial reaction is a process by which one or more substances are changed into one or more different substances. In these reactions, the original substances are known as ** reactants ** and the newly formed substances are known as ** products **. There are five main types of reactions: ** Synthesis **, ** Decomposition **, ** Single Displacement **, ** Double Displacement ** and ** Comustion **. In a ** synthesis **reaction, two unique molecules come together to form one compound. ** Decomposition ** is when a molecule breaks down to show two or more of its parts. Single and Double Displacement are when metals switch places. In ** single displacement **, one more reactive metal switches places with another less reactive metal, creating one compound and one metal alone. In ** Double displacement **, two compounds are present and the two metals switch places. 1) Synthesis 2) Decomposition 3) Single Displacement 4) Double Displacement 5) Combustion

BALANCING: Part of solving every chemical reaction, is balancing the equation. When you are trying to balance an equaiton, you want to make sure you have the same amount of 'stuff' on each side. **BUT**, make sure that when you are balancing you change **coefficients**, the numbers in front of the elements and **__NOT__** subscripts, or small numbers in the right coner. You **__CANNOT__** change the subscript, **only the coefficients**. Also, while you are balancing, you can use a table to record what you hav, if you want. It is all up to you, but do it right! :D