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chemical reactivity

chemistry
Also known as: reactivity

Quick Summary

Chemical reactivity refers to a substance's ability to undergo a chemical reaction and transform into different substances. This process involves rearranging atoms of the reactants to form new products with distinct properties. Chemical reactions are fundamental to many natural and technological processes, from burning fuels to biological functions.12

Unlike physical changes, where a substance's identity remains the same (e.g., water freezing into ice), chemical reactions result in a change of chemical identity. For example, when sodium metal reacts with water, new substances like hydrogen gas and sodium hydroxide are formed. The study of chemical reactivity is central to understanding chemistry and how substances interact.1234

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