All the matter in the universe is composed of the atoms of more than 100 different chemical elements, which are found both in pure form and combined in chemical compounds.
Cooking, fermentation, glass making, and metallurgy are all chemical processes that date from the beginnings of civilization. Today, vinyl, Teflon, liquid crystals, semiconductors, and superconductors represent the fruits of chemical technology.
Substances are either chemical elements or compounds. A chemical reaction rearranges the constituent atoms of the reactants to create different substances as products.
A chemical element is any substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances by ordinary chemical processes. Elements are the fundamental materials of which all matter is composed. Learn more about the origins, distribution, and characteristics of chemical elements in this article.
The chemical energy in food is converted by the body into mechanical energy and heat. The chemical energy in coal is converted into electrical energy at a power plant. The chemical energy in a battery can also supply electrical power by means of electrolysis.
The substances in a chemical reaction may be chemical elements, molecules, or compounds. The substances present at the start of a chemical reaction are called the reactants; the substances formed by the reaction are called the products.
Chemical formula, any of several kinds of expressions of the composition or structure of chemical compounds. The forms commonly encountered are empirical, molecular, structural, and projection formulas.
Chemical industry, complex of processes, operations, and organizations engaged in the manufacture of chemicals and their derivatives. Raw materials include fossil fuels and inorganic chemicals.
The fundamental principles of chemical engineering underlie the operation of processes extending well beyond the boundaries of the chemical industry, and chemical engineers are employed in a range of operations outside traditional areas.
