chemical change

[ kem-i-kuhl cheynj ]

noun

1. Chemistry. a usually irreversible chemical reaction involving the rearrangement of the atoms of one or more substances and a change in their chemical properties or composition, resulting in the formation of at least one new substance:

   The formation of rust on iron is a chemical change.

Word History and Origins

Origin of chemical change¹

First recorded in 1755–65

Example Sentences

However, their capacity decreases with each charging cycle due to structural and chemical changes.

From Science Daily

Volcanoes set off a cascade of chemical changes in the environment that make their way to the subterranean rock.

From Los Angeles Times

Heat also leads to chemical changes, such as lowering levels of cortisol in the blood.

From Seattle Times

By studying mice with heart failure, the researchers found evidence of stress imprinting on the epigenome, that is, chemical changes occurred to the mice's DNA.

From Science Daily

Methylation refers to the chemical changes that affect DNA, the genome's building blocks.

From Science Daily