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chemical reactions
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| chemical reaction | the process by which one or more substances change to produce one or more different substances. |
| precipitate | a solid that is produced as a result of a chemical reaction in solution. |
| chemical formula | a combination of chemical symbols and numbers to represent a substance. |
| chemical equation | a representation of a chemical reaction that uses symbols to show the relationship between the reactants and the products. |
| reactant | a substance or molecule that participates in a chemical reaction. |
| product | the substance that forms in a chemical reaction. |
| law of conservation of mass | the law that states that mass cannot be created or destroyed in ordinary chemical and physical changes. |
| synthesis reaction | a substances combine to form a new compound. |
| decomposition reaction | a reaction in which a single compound breaks down to form two or more simpler substances. |
| single displacement reaction | a reaction in which one element or radical takes the place of another element or radical in a compound. |
| double displacement reaction | a reaction in which a gas, a solid precipitate, or a molecular compound forms from the exchange of ions between two compounds. |
| exothermic reaction | a chemical reaction in which heat is released to the surroundings. |
| endothermic reaction | a chemical reaction that requires heat. |
| law of conservation of energy | the law that states that energy cannot be created or destroyed but can be changed from one form to another. |
| activation energy | the minimum amount of energy required to start a chemical reaction. |
| inhibitor | a substance that slows down or stops a chemical reaction. |
| catalyst | a substance that changes the rate of a chemical reaction without being used up or changed very much. |