Using your equation, explain why the reaction between zinc and oxygen is a composition reaction.

A composition reaction, also known as a synthesis reaction, is a reaction where two or more reactants combine to form a single product.

The reaction between zinc and oxygen can be represented by the following equation:

2Zn(s) + O2(g) → 2ZnO(s)

In this equation, the reactants are zinc (Zn) and oxygen (O2), and the product is zinc oxide (ZnO).

Step 1: Zinc and oxygen are the reactants. They are the substances that are reacting with each other.

Step 2: In the reaction, the zinc and oxygen combine. This is the key characteristic of a composition reaction - the reactants are combining to form a new substance.

Step 3: The product of the reaction is zinc oxide. This is a single compound that is formed from the combination of zinc and oxygen.

Therefore, based on the equation, we can see that the reaction between zinc and oxygen is a composition reaction because the zinc and oxygen are combining to form a single product, zinc oxide.