Mistake Master

Types of Chemical Reactions

▶︎  Watch it animatedinteractive step-through · ~3 min · optional

Most reactions fall into a few types, sorted by what is transferred. Acid-base reactions transfer a proton (H⁺); precipitation reactions combine ions into an insoluble solid; oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions transfer electrons. Classifying a reaction tells you which tools to apply.

UNIT 4 TOPIC 4.7 • TYPES OF CHEMICAL REACTIONS REACTION SORTER ACID–BASE H⁺ TRANSFER HCl + H₂O → H₃O⁺ + Cl⁻ H⁺ base accepts PRECIPITATION INSOLUBLE SOLID FORMS Ag⁺ + Cl⁻ → AgCl(s) white solid REDOX ELECTRON TRANSFER oxidation numbers change Zn + Cu²⁺ → Zn²⁺ + Cu Zn electrons move COMBUSTION REDOX WITH O₂ AS A REACTANT CH₄ + 2O₂ → CO₂ + 2H₂O fuel + O₂ CO₂ + H₂O QUICK SORT RULES H⁺ moved? acid–base electrons moved? redox solid formed? precipitation Soluble without memorizing: all Na⁺, K⁺, NH₄⁺, and NO₃⁻ salts are soluble. AP Chemistry · Unit 4 · Chemical Reactions
The major reaction types sorted by what transfers. Acid-base reactions transfer a proton (H⁺); precipitation reactions form an insoluble solid from ions in solution; oxidation-reduction (redox) reactions transfer electrons. Recognizing the type guides how you analyze the reaction.
Reaction Sorter · Open the sandbox →

The skill is reading the reaction for its signature: a proton moving (acid-base), an insoluble product forming (precipitation), or oxidation states changing as electrons move (redox). Recognizing the type is the entry point to analyzing it.

The work

3 ways in · any order
Lesson
Types of Reactions

Acid-base, precipitation, and redox reactions are told apart by whether a proton, a solid, or electrons transfer. The lesson classifies reactions by signature, then closes with a ten-scenario check.

Skill check · 10 scenarios
Diagnostic
10-item topic check

Ten items on classifying reactions: identifying acid-base (proton transfer), precipitation (insoluble solid), and redox (electron transfer) from the reaction.

Not started · 10 items · ~15 min
Targeted Practice
Drill a single misconception

Pick one of the failure modes you missed and drill it on its own. The round is adaptive: two correct in a row clears the misconception and moves you to the next.

Take the diagnostic to identify your misconceptions