Types of Chemical Substances - encyclopedia

Content

Types of Chemicals
Types of compounds
Examples of chemicals

A chemical substance It is any matter that has a defined chemical composition and whose constituent elements cannot be separated by any physical means. A chemical substance is the result of the combination of chemical elements and is made up of molecules, form units and atoms. For example: water, ozone, sugar.

Chemicals occur in all states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas. These substances are found in cosmetics, food, drinks, medicines. For example: sodium fluoride in toothpaste, sodium chloride in table salt. Some substances can be harmful to human health, such as a poison or the nicotine present in cigarettes.

The term chemical substance appeared at the end of the 18th century, thanks to the works of the French chemist and pharmacist, Joseph Louis Proust.

Pure chemicals, which cannot be separated into other substances by any means; They are distinguished from mixtures, unions that are obtained by combining two or more substances that do not maintain chemical interactions.

Follow in: Pure substances and mixtures

Types of Chemicals

Simple substances. Substances that are made up of one or more atoms of the same chemical element. Its atomic composition can change in terms of number of atoms, but not in terms of type. For example: ozone, whose molecule is made up of three oxygen atoms.
Compound substances or compounds. Substances that are made up of two or more different elements or atoms. They are formed through chemical reactions. Their main characteristic is that they have a chemical formula and that they cannot be formed by human will. All the elements of the periodic table can combine to form compound substances and these cannot be separated by physical processes. For example: water, whose molecule is made up of hydrogen and oxygen. There are organic and inorganic compounds.

Follow in: Simple and compound substances

Types of compounds

Organic compounds. Substances composed mainly of carbon atoms. They can decompose. They exist in all living beings and in some non-living beings. They can become inorganic when their atoms change. For example: cellulose.
Inorganic compounds. Substances that do not contain carbon or this is not its main component. These include any substance that is lifeless or incapable of decomposing. For example: baking soda.Some inorganic elements can become organic.