Combination reaction
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A combination reaction or a synthesis reaction is a general category of a chemical reaction (the term usually refers to an inorganic chemical reaction), in which two or more reactants are chemically bonded together to produce a single product. It is the formation of a more complex compound by the combining of two or more simpler compounds, elements, or radicals. Many elements react with one another in this fashion to form compounds.
This reaction is usually exothermic because when the bond forms between the reactants, heat is released.
A combination reaction can be of three types:
| Type | Example | |
|---|---|---|
| a) Between two elements | C + O2 → CO2 | Carbon completely burnt in oxygen yields carbon dioxide |
| b) Between two compounds | 2CaO + 2H2O → 2Ca(OH)2 | Calcium oxide (lime) combined with water gives calcium hydroxide (slaked lime) |
| c) Between an element and a compound | O2 + 2H2O → 2H2O2 | Oxygen (an element) combined with water (a compound) yields hydrogen peroxide |
When a combination reaction occurs between a metal and a nonmetal the product is an ionic solid. An example could be lithium reacting with sulfur to give lithium sulfide. When magnesium burns in air, the atoms of the metal combine with the gas oxygen to produce magnesium oxide. This specific combination reaction produces the bright flame generated by flares.
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