Chemical Reactions Requiring Heat
Many reactions need a source of heat to happen. We call these reactions endothermic reactions. Most endothermic reactions can’t happen at normal room temperature, though. In the lab, scientists may heat reactants using bunsen burners. At home, you heat reactants in pots on the stove or in the oven. The most obvious type of reaction that requires he
Heat and Reaction Rate
Chemical reaction rateis the speed at which reactants become products. As a general rule, heat speeds up the rate of a reaction. Heat affects molecules by making them move faster. Imagine a room full of people. The faster they walk around, the more people they can meet in a minute. It’s the same for the molecules in a reaction. The faster they move
Reactions Requiring Light
Light is another form of energy. Plants use energy from sunlight during the process of photosynthesis. In this chemical reaction, carbon dioxide and water react to form glucose and oxygen. Glucose is a type of sugar that plants use for their own energy. Some decomposition reactions also need light. An example of this that you might have around your
Reactions Requiring Pressure
Pressure has a similar effect on chemical reactions as temperature. The more that molecules compress, the closer together they are. The closer they are, the more chances they have of reacting with one another. Gas molecules in our atmosphere also exert pressure down upon the Earth. Some of the chemical reactions on Earth are affected by this atmosp
Reactions Requiring Electricity
Electricity can also be used to break the bonds that hold together molecules. The most popular reaction requiring electricity is the electrolysis of water. To do this, you need a source of electricity, like a battery. You need to connect the battery to two pieces of metal called electrodes. We call the positive electrode an anode and we call the ne
Catalysts
Some chemical reactions involve catalysts. Catalysts are substances that help a reaction without being used up in the reaction itself. They work by reducing the amount of energy required for the reaction to take place. Remember our peroxide decomposition reaction? You can speed up this reaction by adding yeasts that have a special catalyst. Try it
Sometimes It’S Complicated
Ammonia (NH3) is one of the most commonly produced chemicals by humans. It is essential in producing fertilizers and pharmaceutical products. It is also present in many cleaning products. It is even being thought about as a possible green fuel. Ammonia is produced by combining atmospheric nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2) gases.
See full list on letstalkscience.ca