Chemical Reactions

What this unit covers

The resources here follow the main ideas of chemical change. You will find reaction rates, combustion, acids and bases, redox, displacement, salts, reversible reactions and energy changes. Many items are tied to named courses, including National 5 Chemistry, OCR AS Chemistry, GCSE and AP Chemistry.

Where to start

Begin with a mind map, because it shows how the ideas fit together. The Rates of Reaction map explains the rate as the amount of reactant used up divided by the time taken. The Chemical Reactions Lab map sorts reactions into precipitation, redox and acid-base types, and lists combination, decomposition and displacement reactions. If energy is your topic, open Chemistry Unit 2.5 - Exothermic and Endothermic Reactions.

A sensible order

1. Read a mind map on your topic, such as 4.3 Redox for oxidation numbers or the National 5 Unit 1 map for the factors that change reaction rate.
2. Work through a flashcard deck to fix the key terms. Combustion and flame covers ignition temperature and combustible substances, and National 5 Chemistry-Acids and Bases asks what a pH below 7 or above 7 tells you.
3. Take a quiz, such as Chemical Reactions Quiz or Exothermic Reactions Quiz, and note which questions you missed.
4. Go back to the map or the notes for those gaps, then try the quiz again.

Using quizzes and maps together

A map gives you the outline and a quiz shows what you can actually recall. Use them in a loop. Check the map, answer the quiz, then return to the weak branches. Teachers can pick a map or slide set to open a lesson and use a quiz to close it.

Where it sits

This unit belongs to the strand Chemical Reactions and Quantities in the Chemistry subject. The resources were made by GoConqr users, so wording and exam boards vary. Choose the ones that match your course.

Ready to begin? Open a map that matches what you are studying today, and see how much of it you can explain without looking.