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Chemical Reactions

Reactants become products. Learn the five main reaction types and how to spot them.

Section 01

Balanced equations

Mass is conserved: atoms are neither created nor destroyed. Coefficients (numbers in front of formulas) balance the count of each element on both sides.

Section 02

Five reaction types

Synthesis (A + B → AB), decomposition (AB → A + B), single replacement (A + BC → AC + B), double replacement (AB + CD → AD + CB), and combustion (fuel + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O).

Section 03

Signs of a reaction

A color change, a precipitate, gas bubbles, a temperature change, or light emission all suggest that a chemical change has occurred.

C₆H₁₂O₆ + 6O₂ → 6CO₂ + 6H₂O + ATP
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