
Chemistry | Definition, Topics, Types, History, & Facts | Britannica
Dec 26, 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 element | Definition, Origins, Distribution, & Facts | Britannica
Jan 9, 2026 · 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 …
Chemical reaction | Definition, Equations, Examples, & Types - Britannica
Jan 13, 2026 · Substances are either chemical elements or compounds. A chemical reaction rearranges the constituent atoms of the reactants to create different substances as products.
Chemical synthesis | Organic & Inorganic Reactions | Britannica
Chemical compounds are made up of atoms of different elements, joined together by chemical bonds. A chemical synthesis usually involves the breaking of existing bonds and the formation of new ones.
Sodium bicarbonate | Definition, Uses, & Formula | Britannica
Jan 21, 2026 · 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 …
Lead | Definition, Uses, Properties, & Facts | Britannica
Jan 22, 2026 · What is lead as a chemical element? What does lead look like and what is its symbol on the periodic table? Where is lead found in nature? What are some uses of lead in everyday life?
Periodic table | Definition, Elements, Names, Symbols, Groups, Charges ...
Dec 22, 2025 · Periodic table, in chemistry, is an organized array of all the chemical elements in order of increasing atomic number. When the elements are thus arranged, there is a recurring pattern in …
Nitric oxide | Uses, Facts, & Definition | Britannica
Dec 27, 2025 · Nitric oxide, colourless toxic gas that has important chemical signaling functions in animals and is a serious air pollutant.
Cellular respiration | Definition, Equation, Cycle, Process, Reactants ...
Jan 9, 2026 · Cellular respiration, the process by which organisms combine oxygen with foodstuff molecules, diverting the chemical energy in these substances into life-sustaining activities and …
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 …