
Chemistry | Definition, Topics, Types, History, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 8, 2025 · Cooking, fermentation, glass making, and metallurgy are all chemical processes that date from the beginnings of civilization. Today, vinyl, Teflon, liquid crystals, semiconductors, and …
Chemical compound | Definition, Examples, & Types | Britannica
Nov 11, 2025 · 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.
Chemical reaction | Definition, Equations, Examples, & Types - Britannica
Nov 30, 2025 · Substances are either chemical elements or compounds. A chemical reaction rearranges the constituent atoms of the reactants to create different substances as products.
Chemical element | Definition, Origins, Distribution, & Facts - Britannica
Nov 29, 2025 · 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 …
Chemical formula | Definition, Types, Examples, & Facts | Britannica
Nov 1, 2025 · 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 …
Chemical energy | Definition & Facts | Britannica
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 …
Novichok | Description, History, Mechanism of Action, Toxicity, & Uses ...
Dec 4, 2025 · Chemical weapons are chemical agents, whether gaseous, liquid, or solid, that are employed because of their direct toxic effects on humans, animals, and plants.
Chemical castration | Usage, Treatment, Legality, & Facts | Britannica
Chemical castration differs from surgical castration in that it is reversible and its effects typically stop when the drugs are ceased. Chemical castration is used in the treatment of certain types of cancer, …
Chemical industry | Overview, Importance, & History | Britannica
Dec 5, 2025 · Chemical industry, complex of processes, operations, and organizations engaged in the manufacture of chemicals and their derivatives. Raw materials include fossil fuels and inorganic …
Sodium bicarbonate | Definition, Uses, & Formula | Britannica
5 days ago · Sodium bicarbonate, white crystalline or powdery solid that is a source of carbon dioxide and so is used as an ingredient in baking powders, in effervescent salts and beverages, and as a …