Reactant
Reactant
A reactant is a substance that is consumed in the course of a chemical reaction. Reactants are the starting materials in a chemical reaction that react to produce a product or products. The amount of reactants that are consumed in a chemical reaction is directly proportional to the amount of product produced, as described by the law of conservation of mass.
Overview[edit | edit source]
In a chemical reaction, the reactants are written on the left side of a chemical equation, while the products are written on the right side. The reactants and products are separated by an arrow that indicates the direction of the reaction. For example, in the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to form water, hydrogen and oxygen are the reactants and water is the product:
2H2 + O2 → 2H2O
In this reaction, two molecules of hydrogen react with one molecule of oxygen to produce two molecules of water.
Types of Reactions[edit | edit source]
There are several types of chemical reactions, each with its own set of reactants and products. These include combination reactions, decomposition reactions, displacement reactions, and redox reactions, among others.
Combination Reactions[edit | edit source]
In a combination reaction, two or more reactants combine to form a single product. For example, the reaction between sodium and chlorine to form sodium chloride is a combination reaction:
2Na + Cl2 → 2NaCl
Decomposition Reactions[edit | edit source]
In a decomposition reaction, a single reactant breaks down into two or more products. For example, the decomposition of water into hydrogen and oxygen is a decomposition reaction:
2H2O → 2H2 + O2
Displacement Reactions[edit | edit source]
In a displacement reaction, one element in a compound is replaced by another element. For example, the reaction between zinc and hydrochloric acid to form zinc chloride and hydrogen is a displacement reaction:
Zn + 2HCl → ZnCl2 + H2
Redox Reactions[edit | edit source]
In a redox reaction, the oxidation states of the reactants change during the reaction. Redox reactions involve the transfer of electrons from one reactant to another. For example, the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to form water is a redox reaction.
See Also[edit | edit source]
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Contributors: Prab R. Tumpati, MD
