Defining a Product in Chemistry
In chemistry, a product is a new substance that is formed as a result of a chemical reaction. During a reaction, starting materials called reactants undergo a chemical change, and their atoms are rearranged to create one or more different substances, which are the products.
Section 2: Identifying Products in an Equation
In a standard chemical equation, the products are always written on the right side of the arrow (→). The arrow signifies the transformation or 'yields' and points from the reactants (on the left) to the products. For example, in the general form A + B → C, 'C' is the product.
Section 3: A Practical Example
Consider the formation of table salt. The chemical equation is 2Na + Cl₂ → 2NaCl. In this reaction, sodium (Na) and chlorine gas (Cl₂) are the reactants. They combine to form sodium chloride (NaCl), which is the product of the reaction.
Section 4: Importance of Products
Understanding products is fundamental to chemistry as they represent the outcome of a chemical process. Products are the desired substances in manufacturing, the compounds synthesized in a lab, and the molecules created by metabolic processes in living organisms. Analyzing products helps determine a reaction's efficiency, known as its percent yield.