Question

Explain different types of decomposition reaction.

Answer 1

Hint:Decomposition reactions can be elaborated as a type of chemical reaction where one reactant is decomposed into two or more components as products. This reaction has types according to the reaction carried out such as thermal, electrolytic, and photochemical and one can elaborate these with some reaction examples.

Complete step by step answer:1) First of all we will learn about decomposition where it is a reaction that decomposes the reactant into two or more constituents as a product. The word decompose elaborates itself as the type of reaction.
2) Now let us discuss the types of the decomposition reaction,
A) Thermal decomposition reaction:
The decomposition reactions in which the reactant is decomposed into two or more products by the heating of reaction. In this type of reaction, heat is required to break the bond in the reactant. Now let us see an example of this type of reaction,
$CaC{O_{3(s)}}\xrightarrow{{Heat}}Ca{O_{(s)}} + C{O_{2(g)}}$
The above reaction is a very common type of thermal decomposition reaction where calcium carbonate (limestone) is decomposed into calcium oxide and carbon dioxide.
B) Photo decomposition reaction:
In this reaction, the reactant is decomposed into two or more constituent products by photolysis using the sunlight. Now let us see a reaction for the same,
$2{H_2}{O_{2(l)}}\xrightarrow{{Light}}2{H_2}{O_{(l)}} + {O_{2(g)}}$
In the above reaction, liquid hydrogen peroxide is decomposed to water and oxygen by reacting with sunlight.
C) Electrolytic decomposition:
In this type of reaction, the reactant is decomposed into two or more products by using the electric current. Let us see an example for this reaction,
$2NaCl\xrightarrow{{Electricity}}2Na + C{l_2}$
In the above reaction, the electricity is passed through a molten sodium chloride solution and decomposes into sodium and chlorine molecules.


Note:The thermal decomposition reaction is an endothermic reaction where heat is absorbed to break the bonds in the reactant molecule. The digestion of food in our stomach is performed by various decomposition reactions where complex molecules such as fats, protein are decomposed into a simpler absorbable form.