Definition

Noun: 1. A material with a definite chemical composition: A "chemical substance" is matter that has a constant composition and characteristic properties. It is composed of one type of atom (as in an element) or a specific combination of atoms (as in a compound) held together by chemical bonds. 2. A substance produced by or used in a chemical reaction: It refers to any material involved in processes where atoms or molecules are rearranged to form new substances.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Water is a common chemical substance with the formula H₂O.
  • The laboratory stores many dangerous chemical substances, such as acids and solvents.
  • During photosynthesis, plants use carbon dioxide and water to produce new chemical substances like glucose.

Advanced Usage

• "Pure chemical substance": A substance composed of a single type of molecule or atom, not mixed with other substances.
  • Table salt (sodium chloride) is a pure chemical substance, while sea water is a mixture of many substances.

Variants and Related Words

• Chemical (n): Often used as a shorter, more common synonym for "chemical substance".
  • The factory was fined for dumping toxic chemicals into the river.
• Compound (n): A type of chemical substance formed when two or more different elements are chemically bonded together.
  • Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a compound made of carbon and oxygen.
• Element (n): A pure chemical substance consisting of only one type of atom.
  • Gold and oxygen are both elements.

Synonyms

• Compound: A substance formed from two or more elements.
• Reagent: A substance used in a chemical reaction to detect, measure, or produce other substances.

Related Phrases

• Chemical reaction: A process where one or more chemical substances are transformed into different substances.
  • Rusting is a chemical reaction between iron and oxygen.
• Chemical property: A characteristic of a substance that is observed during a chemical reaction.
  • Flammability is a chemical property of gasoline.

Noun

1. material produced by or used in a reaction involving changes in atoms or molecules