Reaktantsi

Reaktantsi is a Finnish term that translates to "reactant" in English. In chemistry, a reactant is a substance that is consumed during a chemical reaction. It is one of the starting materials in a chemical process, undergoing a transformation to form products. Reactants are typically found on the left side of a chemical equation, separated from the products by an arrow.

The specific reactants involved in a reaction determine the products that will be formed. For instance, in the combustion of methane, methane (CH4) and oxygen (O2) are the reactants, producing carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O) as products. The rate at which reactants are consumed and products are formed is known as the reaction rate, which can be influenced by factors such as temperature, pressure, and the presence of catalysts. Understanding the role of reactants is fundamental to comprehending chemical processes and predicting their outcomes. The study of how reactants interact and transform is a core aspect of chemical kinetics and thermodynamics.