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Types of chemical reactions flash cards
Flash cards on reaction types: combustion, synthesis, decomposition, displacement, precipitation, neutralisation and redox, plus energy changes, rates, catalysts and balancing equations.
Free to use, edit, print and study. No account needed: your set stays on this device.
The cards, front and back
- 1Front
What is a chemical reaction?
BackA change in which new substances are made. Atoms are rearranged, but none are created or destroyed.
- 2Front
What is the law of conservation of mass?
BackThe total mass of the products equals the total mass of the reactants, because no atoms are gained or lost. In an open container, mass can seem to change if a gas escapes or is taken in.
- 3Front
How do you balance a chemical equation?
BackChange only the numbers in front of formulas, never the small numbers inside them, until there are the same number of atoms of each element on both sides.
- 4Front
What do the state symbols (s), (l), (g) and (aq) mean?
BackSolid, liquid, gas and aqueous (dissolved in water).
- 5Front
Complete combustion
BackA fuel burns in plenty of oxygen. For a hydrocarbon, the products are carbon dioxide and water, for example CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O.
- 6Front
Incomplete combustion
BackA fuel burns in too little oxygen, making carbon monoxide (a toxic gas) and/or carbon (soot) as well as water.
- 7Front
Synthesis (combination) reaction
BackTwo or more substances join to make one product. For example, iron + sulfur → iron sulfide.
- 8Front
Decomposition reaction
BackOne substance breaks down into two or more simpler substances. Thermal decomposition uses heat, for example CaCO₃ → CaO + CO₂.
- 9Front
Displacement reaction
BackA more reactive element takes the place of a less reactive one in a compound. For example, zinc + copper sulfate → zinc sulfate + copper.
- 10Front
Precipitation reaction
BackTwo solutions react to form an insoluble solid, called a precipitate. For example, silver nitrate + sodium chloride → silver chloride (a white precipitate) + sodium nitrate.
- 11Front
Neutralisation reaction
BackAn acid reacts with a base to make a salt and water.
- 12Front
What do oxidation and reduction mean in terms of oxygen?
BackOxidation is gain of oxygen. Reduction is loss of oxygen.
- 13Front
What do oxidation and reduction mean in terms of electrons?
BackOxidation is loss of electrons and reduction is gain of electrons, remembered as OIL RIG.
- 14Front
What is a redox reaction?
BackA reaction in which oxidation and reduction happen at the same time. For example, when iron oxide is heated with carbon, the iron oxide is reduced and the carbon is oxidised.
- 15Front
Exothermic reaction
BackA reaction that transfers energy to the surroundings, so the temperature rises. Examples: combustion, neutralisation and respiration.
- 16Front
Endothermic reaction
BackA reaction that takes in energy from the surroundings, so the temperature falls. Examples: thermal decomposition and photosynthesis.
- 17Front
What is activation energy?
BackThe minimum energy that particles must have when they collide for a reaction to happen.
- 18Front
What does collision theory say?
BackParticles react only when they collide with enough energy. Anything that makes collisions more frequent or more energetic increases the rate of reaction.
- 19Front
Name five factors that affect the rate of a reaction.
BackTemperature, concentration of solutions, pressure of gases, surface area of solids and the presence of a catalyst.
- 20Front
What is a catalyst?
BackA substance that speeds up a reaction without being used up. It works by providing a different pathway with a lower activation energy.
- 21Front
What is a reversible reaction?
BackA reaction that can go in both directions, shown with the ⇌ sign. In a closed system it can reach equilibrium, where the forward and backward reactions happen at the same rate.
- 22Front
What is electrolysis?
BackUsing electricity to break down an ionic compound that is molten or dissolved. Positive ions move to the negative electrode and negative ions move to the positive electrode.
How to use this template
This deck sorts chemical reactions into the main types you need to recognise and explains the ideas behind them. It covers conservation of mass, balancing equations and state symbols, complete and incomplete combustion, synthesis, decomposition, displacement, precipitation, neutralisation and redox, exothermic and endothermic changes, activation energy, collision theory, rates and catalysts, reversible reactions and a first look at electrolysis. It suits GCSE and IGCSE chemistry, Year 9 to Year 11 science, high school chemistry and a quick refresher before AP, IB or first-year chemistry. Learn the types first, then use Test mode to practise naming the type from an example, and let spaced repetition repeat the hard ones. Print it double-sided for paired quizzing.
Tips
- For each reaction type, learn one example equation by heart, so you can spot the same pattern in new questions.
- Practise balancing three or four equations every day. It is a skill, and it gets fast with repetition.
- Use OIL RIG for electrons, but remember that oxidation also means gaining oxygen in simpler questions.
- When explaining rates, always mention both how often particles collide and how much energy they have.
- Check the temperature change to tell exothermic from endothermic: hotter surroundings means exothermic.
Make it fit
- Add the reactivity series your course uses as a separate card, to support displacement questions.
- Add energy profile diagrams, bond energy calculations or half equations for a higher-level course.
- Make reverse cards with an example equation on the front and the reaction type on the back.
- Split the deck into reaction types and energy and rates.
Updated October 28, 2026