DBA Unit 4

4.01: Conservation of mass

 Reactant is a substance that takes part in and undergoes change during a chemical
reaction
 Product is a substance formed after a chemical reaction
 Chemical equations are a representation, using formulas and symbols, of a chemical
reaction
 Law of conservation of mass is a law that explains that mass cannot be created or
destroyed within a closed system
 To balance a chemical equation, we use whole numbers, called coefficients, written in
front of the reactants and products. A coefficient in front of a formula indicates the
number of molecules or formula units that take part in the chemical reaction.
4.02: Synthesis and Decomposition reactions
 Chemical reactions take place everywhere—charcoal burns, metals rust, fireworks
explode, and food cooks. Many different types of chemical reactions take place in our
homes, bodies, and laboratories
 Synthesis reaction is a reaction in which two or more reactants combine to form one
product
 Decomposition reaction is a reaction in which a single compound reacts to form more
than one product
 In a synthesis reaction, two or more reactants combine to form one new product: A + B
→ AB
 In a decomposition reaction, one reactant breaks down to form two or more products: AB
→A+B
4.03: Single and Double Replacement Reactions
 Double replacement reaction is a type of reaction in which the ions of two compounds
exchange places in an aqueous solution to form two new compounds.
 Single replacement reaction is a type of reaction in which one element replaces a similar
element within a compound
 Precipitate is a solid that separates from a solution, usually an insoluble product formed
from a chemical reaction in an aqueous solution
 In the formula of a double replacement reaction below, the ions "trade partners" over the
course of the chemical reaction.
 AB + CD → AD + CB
 Double replacement reactions form a product that is insoluble in water, but it bubbles out
of the solution as a gas instead of forming a solid precipitate.
 In this acid-base reaction, an acid (HCl) reacts with a base (NaOH) to form a salt (NaCl)
and water.
 Activity series is a list of elements ranked according to their reactivity, or the ease with
which they undergo a chemical reaction
  Chemists often use a list called an activity series to predict whether a single replacement
reaction will occur.
4.04: Combustion and Redox Reactions
 Combustion reaction is any reaction in which a substance reacts with oxygen gas
 Oxidation-reduction (redox) reaction is a reaction in which electrons are exchanged from
one substance to another, also called redox
 Exothermic is a chemical or physical change that releases energy to the surroundings
 Many reactions, such as combustion, synthesis, decomposition, and single replacement
reactions, can also fall into another category of chemical reactions called oxidation-
reduction reactions, or redox reactions. Oxidation-reduction reactions sometimes create
positive and negative ions that form ionic bonds.
 Oxidation occurs when an element loses electrons while reduction occurs when an
element accepts or gains electrons.
 A single replacement reaction is almost always a redox reaction because it involves a
neutral element that changes its electrostatic charge to combine with a new compound.
 In a double replacement reaction, ions do not change their charges. They do not follow
the pattern of redox reactions.
4.05: Oxidation Reduction
 According to the concept of electronegativity, every atom has a certain amount of
attraction for the electrons shared in a covalent bond
 Even though the atoms involved in a covalent molecule do not have charges like an ion,
we assign them positive and negative oxidation numbers to represent this "uneven
sharing" that occurs.
 In methane, hydrogen gets an oxidation number of +1 because that is its oxidation
number in any covalent compound.
 Reducing Agent: A reactant that causes another substance to be reduced (not being
reduced itself). The reducing agent is the reactant that is oxidized.
 Oxidizing Agent: A reactant that causes another substance to be oxidized (not being
oxidized itself). The oxidizing agent is the reactant that is reduced.
 In oxidation-reduction reactions, reactants that lose electrons are oxidized and reactants
that gain electrons are reduced. Oxidation numbers are assigned to elements to represent
the number of electrons lost or gained by each atom of the element.
 In the case of covalent bonds, where electrons are shared instead of transferred, oxidation
numbers are assigned to atoms to represent uneven sharing.

4.06: Reactions in our World

 Nuclear reactions produce more electricity and less atmospheric pollution than
combustion reactions that burn fossil fuels
  As an energy source, nuclear fusion has several advantages over fission. The small
isotopes of hydrogen are plentiful on Earth and easy to obtain. The end products of fusion
are usually light, stable nuclei rather than the heavy radioactive ones produced by fission.
 Nuclear reactions are different from chemical reactions. In chemical reactions, mass and
energy are both conserved. This means the measured amounts of mass and energy are the
same at the beginning and end of a chemical reaction
 Nuclear fusion is the combining of nuclei, while nuclear fission is the splitting of a
nucleus. Nuclear energy can be derived from both reactions, but nuclear fission is easier
to control than nuclear fusion.
 In current nuclear power plants, nuclear fission provides more energy than burning coal
and does not produce atmospheric pollutants and greenhouse gases.
 The downside of nuclear fission is it provides less energy than nuclear fusion, and it
generates radioactive waste that requires special disposal procedures.
4.07: Honors Radioactive Decay
 Radioactivity is the emission of radiation caused by the spontaneous disintegration of
atomic nuclei
 A strong nuclear force is an attractive force that holds the nucleus of an atom together.
 Electromagnetic forces are the second strongest of the four fundamental forces.
 Weak nuclear force is a very powerful force; it is given its name in comparison to strong
nuclear force that is even stronger.
 Gravity is the weakest of the four fundamental forces. It has a large range and can be
experienced over a long distance. Gravity is the force of attraction that pulls objects
toward the center of Earth and that holds the moon in orbit around Earth.
 Alpha radiation is made up of a stream of alpha particles. Alpha particles are made up of
two protons and two neutrons released from the nucleus of the radioactive atom.
 Beta radiation is made up of a stream of beta particles. Beta particles are fast-moving
electrons released from a nucleus when a neutron breaks apart into one proton and one
electron.
 Gamma radiation can be given off during different types of nuclear decay. Gamma rays
are a form of electromagnetic waves with a very high frequency and greater energy than
ultraviolet light or X-rays.
 The changing of one element into another by radioactive decay is called transmutation.
 Radioactive uranium-238 goes through alpha decay, producing an alpha particle (made of
two protons and two neutrons) and leaving behind an atom of thorium-234.
 The half-life is the time needed for half of the radioactive atoms in a sample to decay.
The half-life of a given isotope is constant and is independent of external conditions or
the number of atoms in the sample.