Exploring Significant Chemical Reactions

Step 1: Choose a Reaction

These are just some ideas...you are not limited to this list!

Historically Significant Reactions:

• The Haber Process (Ammonia synthesis for fertilizers and explosives)
  Source: Ammonia

• The discovery of radioactivity (Uranium decay, Marie Curie’s work)
  Source: The Discovery of Radioactivity: Gateway to Twentieth-Century Physics

• Synthesis of aspirin (Acetylation of salicylic acid)

• Combustion reactions in engines (Gasoline and diesel)
  Source: Combustion

• Polymerization of ethylene to polyethylene (Start of the plastic industry)

• Photosynthesis (CO₂ + H₂O → C₆H₁₂O₆ + O₂)

Reactions with Significance for Everyday Life

• Baking soda and vinegar reaction (Acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate)

• Rusting of iron (Iron oxidation)

• Soap-making (Saponification)

• Formation of ozone (O₂ → O₃ by UV radiation)

• Decomposition of hydrogen peroxide (Catalase in living organisms)

• A list of some more options here.

Modern and Innovative Reactions

• Lithium-ion battery reactions (Redox reactions in cathodes and anodes)

• CO₂ capture and conversion reactions (e.g., into fuel or chemicals)

• DNA polymerization in PCR (Replication of DNA)

• Electrolysis of water (Hydrogen as a clean fuel source)

Step 3 - Cite Your Sources

How-to guide: Creating Citations in Google Docs
Using Gale? Citations are available to be copied/pasted from the bottom of articles.

Citing an article:

Format: Author(s) Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title of article. Journal Name, Volume(Issue), Page Range. DOI/URL.
Example: Smith, J. (2014). The role of the Haber process in agriculture. Chemical Society Review, 42(3), 123-130. doi:10.1039/C3CS60063C. 

Citing a website:

Format: Author(s) Last Name, First Initial. (Year, Month Date). Title of webpage. Website Name. URL.
Example: Royal Society of Chemistry. (2024, June 9). Non-burning paper. Royal Society of Chemistry. https://edu.rsc.org/exhibition-chemistry/non-burning-paper-investigate-the-fire-triangle-and-conditions-for-combustion/4019522.article. 

Citing a book:
Format: Author(s) Last Name, First Initial. (Year). Title of book (Edition). Publisher.
Example: Brown, T. L. (2018). Chemistry: The central science (14th ed.). Pearson.