Chemical reactions fall under four main types: synthesis, decomposition, single and double substitution. Energy and matter cannot be created or destroyed, but can be altered in a chemical reaction. Single substitution exchanges one free element for another, while double substitution exchanges components of two compounds. Substitution reactions are often called ionic reactions, but can also be classified as displacement reactions.
While there are different types of chemical reactions, there are four main types that each type falls under: synthesis reaction (also known as a combination reaction), decomposition reaction, and single and double substitution reaction. Synthesis, which in this case means joining, results in two or more basic substances bonding together on a molecular level to create a single compound. Conversely, a decomposition reaction causes individual components to break down to produce separate substances, just as the name suggests. Both a single and double substitution reaction involve two reactants producing two new products. The only difference between these reactions is how they replace (or displace) certain components within a compound.
There is a basic principle of physics which states that neither matter nor energy can be created or destroyed. While this axiom remains constant, however, the various substances that make up matter and the energy they represent can be altered. Indeed, this is the recipe for a chemical reaction. Knowing this leads to another concept related to physics: all chemical reactions initiate change in material substance by generating an exchange of energy. How energy is exchanged defines the type of chemical reaction that has taken place.
The main difference between a single and double substitution reaction is that, in a single substitution reaction, one free element is exchanged for another to produce a new compound and a new element. In a double substitution reaction, the components of two compounds are exchanged (or moved) to form two new compounds.
Some further clarification of how each reaction is defined should be considered to avoid possible confusion. First, most scientists accept the idea that nearly every substitution reaction involves ionization. The basis for this belief comes from the fact that both usually occur in an aqueous solution containing primary constituents that are in an ionic form. Hence they are often called ionic reactions.
There is another school of thought, however, that both substitution reactions should be classified as deionizing since it could be argued that each leads to a pair of ions shifting during the chemical reaction. Therefore, each is also sometimes referred to as a displacement reaction.
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