Fun With Predicting Reaction Products - Free Printable

Let's go through each of the chemical reactions listed in your worksheet, predict the products, balance the equations, and explain why a reaction occurs or does not occur.

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1) ___ Ag₂SO₄ + ___ NaNO₃ →

Type of Reaction: Double displacement (precipitation)

Possible Products: AgNO₃ and Na₂SO₄

Check solubility:
- AgNO₃ is soluble.
- Na₂SO₄ is soluble.
- Both products are soluble → No precipitate forms.

✔ Conclusion: No reaction occurs because no precipitate, gas, or weak electrolyte is formed.

> Answer: No reaction. All possible products are soluble.

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2) ___ NaI + ___ CaSO₄ →

Type: Double displacement

Products: Na₂SO₄ and CaI₂

Balanced equation:
- 2NaI + CaSO₄ → Na₂SO₄ + CaI₂

Solubility check:
- Na₂SO₄: soluble
- CaI₂: soluble

Both products are soluble → no net reaction

> Answer: No reaction. All products are aqueous and soluble.

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3) ___ HNO₃ + ___ Ca(OH)₂ →

Type: Acid-base neutralization

Products: Water and salt (calcium nitrate)

Balanced equation:
- 2HNO₃ + Ca(OH)₂ → Ca(NO₃)₂ + 2H₂O

This is a typical acid-base reaction forming water and a salt.

> ✔ Answer:
2HNO₃ + Ca(OH)₂ → Ca(NO₃)₂ + 2H₂O

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4) ___ CaCO₃ →

Type: Decomposition

Calcium carbonate decomposes upon heating:

CaCO₃(s) → CaO(s) + CO₂(g)

This is a common thermal decomposition reaction.

> ✔ Answer:
CaCO₃ → CaO + CO₂

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5) ___ AlCl₃ + ___ (NH₄)₃PO₄ →

Type: Double displacement

Products: AlPO₄ and NH₄Cl

Aluminum phosphate is insoluble (it's a precipitate), so reaction occurs.

Balance:
- AlCl₃ + (NH₄)₃PO₄ → AlPO₄↓ + 3NH₄Cl

> ✔ Answer:
AlCl₃ + (NH₄)₃PO₄ → AlPO₄(s) + 3NH₄Cl(aq)

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6) ___ Pb + ___ Fe(NO₃)₃ →

Type: Single displacement

Pb (lead) is less reactive than Fe (iron). Check activity series:

- Fe is above Pb → Fe can displace Pb²⁺, but Pb cannot displace Fe³⁺

So, Pb cannot reduce Fe³⁺ to Fe.

> ✘ Answer: No reaction. Lead is less reactive than iron and cannot displace it from solution.

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7) ___ C₄H₈ + ___ O₂ →

Type: Combustion

Hydrocarbon combustion produces CO₂ and H₂O.

C₄H₈ is butene (alkene).

Balanced equation:
- C₄H₈ + 6O₂ → 4CO₂ + 4H₂O

Check:
- Carbon: 4 = 4
- Hydrogen: 8 → 4×2 = 8
- Oxygen: 12 on both sides (6×2 = 12; 4×2 + 4×1 = 8+4=12)

> ✔ Answer:
C₄H₈ + 6O₂ → 4CO₂ + 4H₂O

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8) ___ Na + ___ CaSO₄ →

Type: Single displacement

Sodium is highly reactive (above calcium in the activity series), so it can displace Ca²⁺.

But: Sodium reacts violently with water, and CaSO₄ is typically in aqueous solution or solid.

Even if solid, sodium might react with moisture or oxygen first.

However, theoretically, since Na is more reactive than Ca, it could displace Ca:

2Na + CaSO₄ → Na₂SO₄ + Ca

But calcium metal is very reactive, and this reaction is not favorable under normal conditions due to thermodynamic stability.

Moreover, sodium does not readily displace calcium from its salts because CaSO₄ is not very soluble, and the reaction would be impractical.

Also, sodium tends to react with water rather than displacing metals from salts unless under special conditions.

In practice, this reaction does not occur because:
- CaSO₄ is insoluble.
- Sodium would preferentially react with water or air.
- Calcium is not easily displaced by sodium in aqueous solutions.

> ✘ Answer: No reaction. Sodium is more reactive than calcium, but the reaction does not proceed under normal conditions due to low solubility of CaSO₄ and side reactions (e.g., with water).

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✔ Final Answers Summary:

1) No reaction – all products are soluble.
2) No reaction – all products are soluble.
3) 2HNO₃ + Ca(OH)₂ → Ca(NO₃)₂ + 2H₂O
4) CaCO₃ → CaO + CO₂
5) AlCl₃ + (NH₄)₃PO₄ → AlPO₄(s) + 3NH₄Cl(aq)
6) No reaction – Pb is less reactive than Fe.
7) C₄H₈ + 6O₂ → 4CO₂ + 4H₂O
8) No reaction – CaSO₄ is insoluble, and Na doesn’t displace Ca effectively.

Let me know if you'd like these written out neatly for submission!