Will it React?

Activity Series

For oxidation-reduction, we need to check the activity of the cations and anions. Some atoms are more reactive than others, meaning they want to be in compounds more! They will replace less active elements in these compounds through single replacement.

Will it React?

We can predict the general idea if something will react based on the simple and specific reaction types by doing the following:

Check for combustion if oxygen gas is a reactant. If it's reacting with something organic (made mostly of H and C) it will make carbon dioxide and water vapor (at the very least), so those should be your products.
If the equation is has 2 compounds it may be double replacement so you need to check for acid-base and precipitation. Acid base will be a combination of an acid (which starts with H) and a base (which ends with OH) that makes a salt and water as the products while precipitation follows the solubility rules outlined above.
If the equation is has 1 compound and 1 element it may be single replacement so you need to check for oxidation-reduction using the activity series.

Names to Chemical Equations

Sometimes we only have the names of the chemicals we are mixing together and need to find out if they will react (and what they form). To do this we need to take the following steps:

Convert words to their chemical formulas, including state symbols if possible. This should make up the reactant part of the chemical equation. Remember to keep balancing charges for ions in mind, how to use polyatomic ions, naming conventions, and diatomic molecules!
Figure out what type of reaction it is. Doing this allows you to determine if they will react and what product will form. This should give you the full skeleton equation for the reaction.
Balance the skeleton equation.

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