Hydrogen peroxide (H_2O_2) breaks down into water (H_2O) and oxygen (O_2). Explain why this is a chemical reaction. What are the reactants and the products in the reaction?

1 Answer
Oct 1, 2016

Chemical change is characterized by the formation of new products and the making and breaking strong chemical bonds.

Explanation:

We need a chemical equation:

H_2O_2(aq) rarr H_2O(aq) + 1/2O_2(g)uarr

Mass and charge are balanced as they must be (why; what do I mean here?). This is in fact a disproportionation reaction because the O(-I) in peroxide, has been reduced to water O(-II), and oxidized to zerovalent oxygen gas O_2(0).

At any rate, the decomposition clearly features the breaking of O-O bonds, and the formation of O=O bonds; this is manifestly a chemical change.