Answer :
Answer:
The term "compound" is used to refer to the reactant because it typically represents a single substance made up of two or more elements chemically bonded together. When these compounds undergo a chemical reaction, they react with each other to form new substances called "products." The term "substances" is used to refer to the products because they can be a combination of different compounds or elements that result from the chemical reaction. These products can have different properties and compositions compared to the reactants. So, the use of the terms "compound" and "substances" helps to distinguish between the starting materials and the resulting products in a chemical reaction.
Explanation:
In chemistry, the terms "compound" and "substance" have specific meanings that relate to their roles in chemical reactions and the state of the matter involved:
Compound
A compound is a chemical substance composed of two or more different elements that are chemically bonded together in fixed proportions. The term "compound" is often used to refer to reactants in a chemical reaction because reactants are typically specific compounds (or elements) that participate in the reaction. For example, in the reaction between hydrogen and oxygen to form water:
[tex]\[ 2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O \][/tex]
Here, hydrogen (H₂) and oxygen (O₂) are reactants. Hydrogen and oxygen are elements, but when referring to complex reactants, they are usually compounds. The reactants are specifically chosen and mixed to undergo a chemical change.
Substances
The term "substances" is more general and can refer to any form of matter—elements, compounds, or mixtures. In the context of chemical reactions, "substances" is used to describe the products because the products can be either elements, compounds, or mixtures resulting from the reaction. For example, in the same reaction to form water, the product is:
[tex]\[ 2H_2O \][/tex]
Here, water (H₂O) is a compound and a substance. The use of "substance" emphasizes the outcome of the reaction without specifying whether the product is a simple element or a more complex compound. It encompasses all possibilities of what can be produced from a reaction.
Summary:
Compound: Specifically refers to a chemical substance composed of two or more elements in fixed proportions, commonly used to describe reactants in a reaction.
Substance: A broader term that can refer to elements, compounds, or mixtures, typically used to describe the products of a reaction.
This distinction helps in clearly identifying the roles and nature of the materials involved before and after the chemical reaction.
