Types Of Chemical Reaction

[jeannegorospeerguiza]

Is it possible to teach types of chemical reaction to students without a prior knowledge in writing and naming chemical formula? How?

[exchemist]

Is it possible to teach types of chemical reaction to students without a prior knowledge in writing and naming chemical formula? How?

Easy. My 12yr old son has been learning about acid/base reactions, oxidation and reduction reactions, decomposition reactions and the photosynthesis reaction, without a single chemical formula being involved. 

 

You just write out in words what happens. An acid and a base neutralise , giving a salt and water. An oxidation reaction reacts something with oxygen producing an oxide (this is a bit simplistic but never mind), a decomposition reaction involves a molecule splitting to give two or more products from one substance, and photosynthesis drives the respiration reaction (an oxidation reaction) backwards, using light as energy input. 

 

Of course this method does involve writing out the names of substances, for example respiration: carbohydrate + oxygen -> water + carbon dioxide + energy, or for decomposition copper carbonate + heat -> copper oxide + carbon dioxide. But it works fine at his level. 

[jeannegorospeerguiza]

yeah you're right but doing so leads to another problem on how to balance the chemical equation which is the next topic in the discussion.

[exchemist]

yeah you're right but doing so leads to another problem on how to balance the chemical equation which is the next topic in the discussion.

Ah, well, of course, if you start talking about balancing equations, then indeed you are into making it quantitative, which means you need full chemical formulae.