Investigating Chemical Reactions: What Are Chemical Reactions

Upon viewing the Investigating Chemical Reactions video series, students will be able to do the following: Define a chemical reaction as a process in which substances undergo changes to produce new materials with different properties. Provide an example of a chemical reaction, and describe the changes that occur. List some of the indicators of chemical reactions including: a change in color, formation of gas, a change of temperature, creation of electrical energy, and the formation of light energy. Identify one or more indicators when given a chemical reaction. Explain that reactants are substances that enter a chemical reaction, and products are substances that are produced as the result of a chemical reaction. Identify the reactants and products in a chemical reaction described by the instructor. Understand that a chemical formula is a combination of symbols that represent the elements in a compound. Use chemical formulas to represent a chemical reaction. Identify the reactants and products in a chemical reaction symbolized by chemical formulas. Understand that not all chemical reactions are the same, and that there are several major types of chemical reactions. Differentiate between a synthesis reaction and a decomposition reaction. Provide a specific example of a synthesis reaction and a decomposition reaction. Explain that in chemical reactions, energy is either absorbed or released. Understand that in an exothermic reaction, energy is released. Describe an endothermic reaction as a type of chemical reaction in which energy is taken in. Provide specific examples of both exothermic and endothermic reactions.