Chemicals in Solution - Background
When solutions containing chemical substances are mixed a chemical reaction may occur. Observed changes that indicate a chemical reaction include:
1. an unexpected color change
2. the formation of a precipitate
3. the evolution of a gas
4. a change in temperature
When a reaction occurs we are often able to predict the products based solely on the nature of the reactants and our knowledge of chemistry. There are four basic types of reactions into which most chemical reactions can be classified (see below). For compounds in solution, the first two of these types are the most important.
1. single displacement
2. double displacement
3. synthesis
4. decomposition
More detail about the signs and classifications of chemical reactions can be found in the Chemical Reactions Experiment.
If you are comfortable with the signs and classifications of chemical reactions consider this example.
