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| chemical reaction | the process by which one or more substances undergo change to produce one or more different substances. |
| chemical formula | A shorthand notation for a compound or a diatomic element using chemical symbols and numbers. |
| chemical equation | A shorthand description of a chemical reaction using chemical formulas and symbols. |
| reactants | The starting materials in a chemical reaction. |
| products | The substances formed from a chemical reaction. |
| law of conservation of mass | The law that states that mass is neither created nor destroyed in ordinary chemical and physical changes. |
| synthesis reaction | A reaction in which two or more substances combine to form a single compound. |
| decomposition reaction | A reaction in which a single compound breaks down to form two or more simpler substances. |
| single-replacement reaction | A reaction in which an element takes the place of another element in a compound. |
| double-replacement reaction | A reaction in which ions in two compounds switch places. |
| exothermic | The term used to describe a physical or chemical change in which energy is released or removed. |
| endothermic | The term used to describe a physical or chemical change in which energy is absorbed. |
| law of conservation of energy | The law that states that energy is neither created nor destroyed. |
| activation energy | The minimum amount of energy needed for substances to react. |
| catalyst | A substance that speeds up a reaction without being permanently changed. |
| inhibitor | A substance that slows down or stops a chemical reaction. |
