Chemical Properties | What happens during a chemical reaction?
What happens during a chemical reaction?
In a chemical reaction, the substances you begin with are called reactantsA compound present at the beginning of a chemical reaction.. The new substances that are formed are called products A compound that is formed as a result of a chemical reaction.. For example, when the acetic acid in vinegar and baking soda (reactants) are combined, the products are bubbles of carbon dioxide gas, water, and sodium acetate.
The chemical properties of the reactants determine what happens during the reaction—and how quickly it happens. For example, one chemical property of magnesium is that it reacts strongly with hydrochloric acid to produce bubbles of hydrogen gas. Not all metals have this property. Dipping a strip of copper into hydrochloric acid...
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