Title: A helpful explanation
Author: Ree
Theme: OTP (Ikuko and Kenji) (reaction :day 20)
Genre: General
Version: Anime/Manga pre-storyline
Rating: G

Ikuko and Kenji and their children belong to Naoko Takeuchi. I just found some really nice paper dolls.

A helpful explanation

Ikuko swirled the straw in her drink, as she tried to think of the answer to the problems on the worksheet. 'It would help if I actually understood what the four types of reaction were. I might have a shot at figuring out which ones these equations represent.' The ice in her drink popped as it settled further into the glass.

Kenji shut his textbook and sighed. He was done. Now he had to work on his math homework. Glancing across the table, he smiled at girl sitting there. 'She sure is quiet when she's doing her homework.' He caught the slight frown that creased Ikuko's brow. 'I wonder if she needs some help?' Getting up he moved to where he could see over her shoulder. "Do you need some help?"

Ikuko tried not to jump even though he had surprised her. "Do you remember anything about chemical reactions?"

Hearing the frustration in her voice, he hoped he remembered enough to help. "I know a little bit. So, what do you need help with?"

Ikuko shoved the paper over a little bit so he could see it better. "I don't understand the four different types of reactions. And since I don't, this assignment is impossible."

Kenji read the directions and then glanced down at the equations. 'Okay... I'll try it.' Pulling out the seat next to her, Kenji made himself comfortable. "There are four basic types of chemical reactions."

Ikuko interrupted him. "I know that. They are decomposition, combination, single and double displacement."

"Good, then all we need to do is explain what they mean." Kenji pulled out a piece of paper and wrote the four types of reactions down with spaces between them. "Now the first one is kind of easy to remember. Combination.. we are combining stuff, our reactants, into one thing, our product. Here, look."

He wrote H2 + O2 --- H2O in the space he had left. "See we took Hydrogen and Oxygen and added them together and made water."

Ikuko looked at the equation for a moment. 'He makes it look so simple. Maybe it is.' Smiling slightly, she had to point out one problem with his equation. "It's not balanced."

Kenji frowned. "Huh?'

"The equation. It's not balanced."

Kenji glared playfully at her. "We are not doing stoichiometry. Do you understand this one?" Ikuko nodded yes. "On to the next one. Decomposition is the opposite of combination. We take a whole and break it up. It typically needs heat or energy added to bust the bonds." He wrote as he continued talking. "See, we take Mercury Oxide, HgO, and heat it and get Mercury, Hg, and Oxygen, O2. One thing broken into two. It decomposed."

See a look of comprehension cross Ikuko face, Kenji continued. "The last two are also similar to each other. In a single displacement reaction one thing replaces another. A double displacement two things are displaced." Jotting quickly he wrote Zn + CuSO4 -- Cu + ZnSO4. "See the Zinc displaced the Copper, and in a double displacement.." He quickly wrote NaOH + HCl --- NaCl + H2O . "the Hydrogen and Sodium displace each other. They exchange partners. That is what makes it a double displacement reaction instead of a single displacement. They both have partners. In a single displacement, Copper doesn't have one." He looked at Ikuko to see if she understood.

"It is that easy? Why didn't the teacher just say that?" Ikuko smiled in relief. "Thanks. I think I can finish my homework now." Kenji walked back over to his homework as Ikuko took a small sip of her drink and scribbled answers to the problems.