When magnesium ribbon burns in air, a single product is formed. Identify the product and explain how this reaction can be simultaneously classified under two different types of chemical reactions, naming both types.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 00:54 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Product: When magnesium ribbon burns in air, the product formed is magnesium oxide (MgO).
$$2\text{Mg} + \text{O}_2 \rightarrow 2\text{MgO}$$
Two types of reactions:
- Combination reaction – Two reactants (magnesium and oxygen) combine to form a single product (magnesium oxide).
- Oxidation reaction (Redox) – Magnesium gains oxygen during the reaction, so it is oxidised. Hence, this is also an oxidation reaction.
Thus, the same reaction is classified under both combination and oxidation reactions.
Source: Chapter 1, Section 1.1 & 1.2; Chapter 3, Section 3.2.1
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Explanation
- Examiners expect the student to name MgO as the product and write the balanced equation (1 mark).
- Two reaction types must be named and justified, not just listed — each needs a one-line reason (1 mark each).
- Common accepted pairs: Combination + Oxidation. Some answers also accept Exothermic as the second type if the question allows it, but Combination + Oxidation is the most textbook-aligned response here.
- Avoid writing lengthy explanations; crisp labelled points score better in board exams.