The synthesis reaction combines two or more elements to create a new compound, while the decomposition reaction breaks down complex compounds into simpler elements. Heating or cooling is often involved, and the equations can be represented with symbols. Understanding these reactions is important for professionals in various fields, as they occur naturally in the world. However, not all compound equations are synthesis reactions, and it’s important to differentiate between different types of reactions.
Chemical reactions occur everywhere, in a variety of ways. One of the more formative types is the synthesis reaction, which brings two or more elements together to create a different compound all together. The simple substances are called reactants and the more complex new compound is called the product. Water is perhaps the simplest example to better understand the synthesis reaction: H2O is the product of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. Conveniently noted, the water equation is H2 + O —> H2O.
The synthesis reaction has the distinction of being one of the easiest to visualize with the simplest equation to balance. The same can be said for the decomposition reaction, which works in reverse to show what happens to complex compounds when they decompose into simpler elements. Two water molecules, to follow the previous example, evaporate into the products of one oxygen atom and one hydrogen atom, or 2H2O —> 2H2 + O2.
Heating or cooling is an element of many synthesis reactions, as is the case with many decomposition reactions. The addition to the heating or cooling of products in a synthesis reaction is represented in an equation by the triangular delta symbol above the yield sign, or arrow. When both a synthesis and a decomposition reaction can be illustrated in a single equation, one that works in both directions is often shown with a bidirectional yield arrow, like this one, “.”
Chemical engineers, chemists, biologists and environmental scientists are just some of the professionals who need to familiarize themselves with the various compounds of the synthesis reaction. These types of marriages occur in all spheres of the natural world. When metals and oxygen combine to form different metal oxides, for example, or when sodium and chlorine combine to form sodium chloride, table salt is in food. The equation: 2Na + Cl2 —> 2NaCl.
Not every compound equation showing two or more reactants giving a compound product is a synthesis reaction. A displacement reaction, for example, occurs when a compound is altered by one element to form a new compound altogether. The key is to look at whether all of the reactants in the first half of the equation are indeed simple substances and aren’t already considered a compound, such as water. An even more complicated arrangement of compounds is the exchange reaction, during which two or more compounds exchange elements to form two or more completely different compounds.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
