YARA INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL, RIYADH, KSA

CHAPTER NOTES FOR CLASS X

SUBJECT: CHEMISTRY

CHAPTER:1 CHEMICAL REACTIONS AND EQUATIONS

• Chemical Change : A process in which a new substance is formed is called chemical change.
• Chemical Reaction : The process involving a chemical change is called a chemical change.
The chemical substances taken originally which may react together are called reactants and the new
chemical substances formed are called products.

Characteristics of Chemical Reactions:

• Formation of a precipitate.
• Evolution of gases.
• Change in colour.
• Change in state.
• Change in temperature
•
Chemical Equation:
• The short-hand method of representing a chemical reaction in terms of symbols and formulae of the
different reactants and products is called a chemical equation.
• Word equation
Zinc + Sulphuric acid ------- Zinc sulphate + Hydogen
Chemical equation

Zn + H2SO4 ------ ZnSO4 + H2

( Reactants) ( products)

Writing of a chemical equation:

• The symbols and formulae of the reactants are written on the left hand side ( LHS) with plus (+) sign
between them.
• The symbols and formulae of the products are written on the right hand side with plus (+) sign
between them.
• An arrow (-- ) sign is put between the reactants and the products, pointing from ractants towards
products.

Why do we want to Balance a chemical equation?

• The number of atoms of each element equal On both sides of the equation is called balanced
chemical equation.
• The importance of a balanced chemical equation lies in the fact that it satisfies the Law of
conservation of mass.

Steps for balancing chemical equations:

• Step 1: To write the word equation.
• Step2: To write skeletal ( symbols and formulae) of the various reactants and products.
• Step3: To enclose the formula of each reactant and product in a box.
• Step4 : To list the number of atoms of different elements on LHS (Reactants) and RHS(Products).
• Step5: To select the biggest formula to start balancing (Balancing by choosing the compound which
has maximum number of atoms, irrespective of the fact that whether it is a reactant or a product.)

MANOJ MV –YIS-RIYADH
• Then balance other elements one by one.
• To balance the atoms of an element, put a small whole number coefficient before the formula of the
compound
• Step6: To check the correctness of the balanced equation by counting the number of atoms of each
element on both sides of the equation.
• This method is known as hit and trial method.

Important Cautions:
• To make the number of atoms of any element equal on both sides of the equation, we cannot change
the subscripts of the formula.
• We can only place a suitable whole number coefficient before the formula.
• The coefficient placed before the formula multiplies every atom of that formula by that number.

Writing symbols of physical states:

• To make a chemical equation more informative, the physical states of the reactants and products
along with their chemical formulae. These are represented by brackets after the symbols or formulae
of the reactants and products.
For eg: Gaseous (g)
Liquid (l)
Solid (s)
Aqeous solution (aq)
Eg: Zn(s) + H2SO4(aq) ------- ZnSO4(aq) + H2(g)

Reaction Conditions:
• Temperature or heat
• Pressure
• Catalyst
• This is indicated above and /or below the arrow in the equation.

Heat changes in chemical reactions:

• Exothermic reactions:
• A reaction in which heat is released along with the formation of products.
• Heat is written along with the products.
Eg: (1) Burning of natural gas
(2) Respiration
C6H12O6 + 6O2 ---- 6CO2 + 6H2O + Energy
Endothermic reactions:
• A reaction in which heat is absorbed along with the reactants.
• Heat is written along with the reactants.
Eg: (1) Dissolving common salt in water.
(2) N2 + O2 + heat ---- 2NO

Types of chemical reactions:

• Combination reaction
• Decomposition reaction
• Displacement reaction
• Double displacement or precipitation reaction
• Oxidation and Reduction

(i) Combination reaction: When two or more substances combine to form a single product.

Eg: C + O2 ---- CO2

H2 + O2 ------ H2O

MANOJ MV –YIS-RIYADH
(ii) Decomposition reaction: When a single reactant breaks down to give two or more simpler product.

• Decomposition reaction can be classified into three…

(1) Thermal Decomposition
(2) Electrolytic Decomposition
(3) Photo Decomposition

(1) Thermal Decomposition: Decomposition reactions which take place by absorbing heat.
heat
Eg: FeSO4 (s) ------------------ Fe2O3(s) + SO2(g) + SO3(g)
(green) (ferric oxide) ( smell of burning sulphur)

heat
CaCO3(s) ---------------- CaO(s) + CO2(g)
heat
2Pb(NO3)2(s) --------- 2PbO(s) + NO2 (g) + O2
(white) (yellow) (brown fumes)

(2) Electrolytic Decomposition: Decomposition reactions which take place when electric current is passed
through the compound in the molten state or in aqueous solution.
electricity
Eg: 2H2O ---------------- 2H2 + O2
electricity
2NaCl --------------- 2Na + Cl2
(3) Photo Decomposition : Decomposition reactions which take place by absorbing sunlight.

sunlight
2AgCl ------------- 2Ag + Cl2
(white) (grey)
sunlight
2AgBr ------------ 2Ag + Br2

(iii) Displacement Reaction : Displacement reaction in which a more reactive metal displaces a less reactive
metal.
Fe + CuSO4 ------- FeSO4 + Cu

(blue) (light green) ( Brown deposit )

Zn + CuSO4 ------- ZnSO4 + Cu

Pb + CuCl2 ------- PbCl2 + Cu

(iv) Double Displacement or Precipitation Reaction : The reactions in which two ionic compounds in the
solution react by exchange of their ions to form a new insoluble compound formed are called double
displacement or precipitation reactions.
Eg: Na2SO4(aq) + BaCl2(aq) --------- BaSO4(s) + 2NaCl (aq)
( white precipitate)

Pb(NO3)2 (aq) + 2KI (aq) ------------ PbI2 (s) + 2KNO3 (aq)

( Yellow precipitate)

MANOJ MV –YIS-RIYADH
 General formula for different types of reactions

General Formula Type of Reaction

A + B -------- C Combination
AB ---------- A + B Decomposition
A + BC ------- AC + B Displacement
AB + CD ------ AD + CB Double displacement

(v) Oxidation and Reduction

OXIDATION REDUCTION

Loss Gain
HYDROGEN
Gain Loss
OXYGEN

heat
Eg: Cu + O2 ----------- 2CuO
(Brown) ( black)
CuO + H2 ----------- Cu + H2O

CuO is reduced to Cu ( Reduction )

H2 is oxidized to H2O ( Oxidation )

 Corrosion : The process of slowly eating up of the metals due to attack of atmospheric gases such
as oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapour etc… on the surface of the metals so as to convert the
metal into oxide, carbonate etc…is known as corrosion.

Rust (Brown coating on iron)

Copper (Green)
Silver (Black)

Rancidity : The oxidation of oils or fat resulting into a bad smell and bad taste is called rancidity
Prevention of Rancidity :
1. Packing of food materials replaced the air with Nitrogen
2. Food materials should be placed at low temperatures.
3. Addition of Antioxidants.

MANOJ MV –YIS-RIYADH