Chemical Reactions & Equations
📋 What it is
In a reaction, substances rearrange into NEW substances; an equation shows before → after.
🗣️ Coach says
A chemical reaction is a genuine transformation — the atoms rearrange to make new stuff with new properties (rust, ash, bubbles). We write it as an equation: reactants → products. Signs a reaction happened: colour change, gas/bubbles, heat, or a new solid.
🧠 Memory hook
Reaction = atoms rearrange into NEW substances. Reactants → products.
😂 Giggle
What did the proton say to the electron?
"Stop being so negative!"
😲 Whoa!
The fizz when you mix baking soda and vinegar is a real reaction making a brand-new gas (carbon dioxide) — the bubbles are the new substance escaping.
✅ Quick check: Bubbles form when you mix two liquids. Is that a sign of a chemical reaction?
Say your answer out loud first — then reveal.
Yes — new gas bubbles (not just boiling) signal a new substance formed, a sign of a chemical reaction.
Gas production is one of the classic signs a chemical change occurred.
🧪 Try it! (2 minutes)
Mix a spoon of baking soda with a splash of vinegar. The fizz is CO₂ — a new substance being made.