Download This worksheet is designed to help you predict simple reactions of

Writing Chemical Reactions
This worksheet is designed to help you predict products of simple reactions of the four basic reaction
types (combination, decomposition, single replacement, and double replacement) and combustion
reactions. You will complete it in 3 phases.
Phase 1: Write a Skeleton Chemical Equation
 For all reactions, you should predict (write the formulas of) the products.
 For some reactions, you must also identify the type of reaction.
 Pay particular attention to the ionic charge of species that you know form ions with only one
possible charge (e.g., alkali metals, alkaline earth metals, halogens, etc.)
 LEAVE SOME SPACE BEFORE AND AFTER EACH FORMULA OR SYMBOL YOU
WRITE. As we learn more, you will complete Phase 2 & 3 and add more information to your
equations.
 NOTE: Water can be considered an ionic compound, made of H+ and OH-, and written HOH.
Phase 2: Identify States of Reactants & Products
 States (s, l, g, aq) of the reactants and products are very important in a chemical reaction.
 Use the following tips to help you
o Ionic compounds are solids.
o Elements’ state can be determined from the periodic table.
o Acids (H+ is the cation) & bases (OH- is the anion) are typically in aqueous solution.
Phase 3: Balancing Equations
 It is essential that all atoms are accounted for. The law of conservation of matter tells us that we
must end up with the same number and type of atoms that we started with.
 Once formulas have been written properly, DO NOT CHANGE ANY SUBSCRIPTS.
 Add coefficients (numbers in front of formulas) until the number and type of atoms are equal on
both sides of the equation.
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a. Combustion:
b. Combustion:
c. Combustion:
C6H14
C4H6
C6H10O3
+
+
+
O2
O2
O2
1. Combination:
2. Double displacement:
3. Double displacement:
4. Decomposition:
5. Single replacement:
6. ________________
7. ________________
8. ________________
9. ________________
10. ________________
12. ________________
13. ________________
14. ________________
15. ________________
16. ________________
17. ________________
18. ________________
19. ________________
20. ________________
Mg
CuCl2
NaOH
ZnCO 3
HCl
Na
CaCl2
K
BaCl2
H2SO4
Al
Pb(NO3)2
H2SO 4
Ca
H3PO4
Li
HCl
Na
CaO
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
I2
H2S
HClO4
heat
Zn
MgCl2
K2CO3
Cl2
K3PO4
KOH
O2
KOH
+
BaCl2
AgCl
FeBr3
N2
Mg(OH)2
Cl2
H2O
+
+
+
+
+
+
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CO2
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+ Don’t Do!