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What are the basics of chemical reactions?

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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
  • A chemical reaction is a process in which one or more substances, also called reactants, are converted to one or more different substances, known as products. Substances are either chemical elements or compounds.
  • A chemical reaction rearranges the constituent atoms of the reactants to create different substances as products. The properties of the products are different from those of the reactants.
  • Chemical reactions differ from physical changes, which include changes of state, such as ice melting to water and water evaporating to vapor. If a physical change occurs, the physical properties of a substance will change, but its chemical identity will remain the same.