Explore

Chemical reactions occur around us all of the time. For example, wood burning in a fireplace undergoes a combustion reaction. When fireworks go off, there is a chemical reaction happening. Each day, our regular life has chemical reactions occurring all around us. Many chemical reactions occur in living things as a regular and necessary part of each and every day. In this activity, you will learn about chemical reactions.

A chemical reaction occurs when two or more molecules interact and the molecules change. Bonds between atoms are broken and created to form new molecules. That's it!

There are a few key points you should know about chemical reactions:

A chemical change must occur.

You start with one molecule and turn it into another. Chemical bonds are made or broken in order to create a new molecule. One example of a chemical reaction is the rusting of a steel garbage can. That rusting happens because the iron (Fe) in the metal combines with oxygen (O2) in the atmosphere. Chemical bonds are created and destroyed to finally make iron oxide (Fe2O3).

@unsplash

A reaction could include atoms, ions, compounds, or molecules of a single element.

You need to remember that a chemical reaction can happen with anything, just as long as a chemical change occurs.

Single reactions often happen as part of a larger series of reactions.

The rusting example you just read about only showed you the original reactants and final products of the chemical reaction. There were several intermediate reactions where chemical bonds were created and destroyed.

Chemical reactions occur around us all of the time. A chemical reaction occurs when two or more substances combine to form new substances. A chemical change in a substance results from a chemical reaction.

Think about travelling in a car. If you are unfortunately involved in a collision, what happens? If your car is a newer model, at least one air bag will deploy. This is the result of a chemical reaction inside the bag. A chemical called sodium azide reacts and forms large volumes of nitrogen gas and sodium. The nitrogen gas inflates the air bag instantly, cushioning you from the impact of the collision.

@gettyimages

Click on the Play button below to watch a video that shows what happens as an airbag deploys when filmed using regular camera speed.

Now click on the Play button below to watch what happens as an airbag deploys when filmed in slow motion!

Did you notice that the air bag opens up just like an explosion? Although air bags are proven to help reduce injuries in collisions and save lives, they can still be very dangerous! This is because during the pre-crash braking of a motor vehicle, an unrestrained passenger may be thrown against the dashboard area in immediate proximity to an airbag. Because airbags inflate in less than 1/25th of a second (faster than the blink of an eye), drivers and passengers who are unrestrained or are wearing only the lap portion of their safety belt might receive serious or even fatal injuries from deploying air bags. An air bag is one example of a chemical reaction.

Other common chemical reactions are combining baking powder with a liquid such as water or milk when you are baking something. This combination forms a gas, and when baked, the gas makes the product rise . It forms the "air bubbles" or tiny holes in baked goods such as muffins.

@pexels

Another everyday example of a chemical reaction is carbonation. This involves dissolving carbon dioxide in water. This process puts the "fizz" in pop, carbonated water, and sparkling mineral water, as well as the foam on a glass of beer. It pops the cork and produces the bubbles in champagne and sparkling wine.

Sometimes chemical reactions have the potential to be harmful to the human body. Alcohol reacts within the human body. When people drink too much alcohol, they cannot see the chemical reaction going on but they do feel it. Alcohol is a depressant. This means the chemical effects of alcohol slow certain bodily functions such as thinking and speaking. In addition, over-drinking can result in alcohol poisoning, which can lead to death.

An example of chemical reactions having the potential to be dangerous can begin in the cleaning compounds stored under a kitchen sink or in a hall closet. If certain products combine, they can form toxic gases that are potentially lethal. The lesson in this is never to mix chemicals in the home. The results can be harmful and possibly lead to death in extreme situations.