chemical process, chemical change, chemical action

(chemistry) any process determined by the atomic and molecular composition and structure of the substances involved

• Acheson process — process for making graphite by heating a mixture of coke and clay
• acylation — the process of introducing an acyl group into a compound
• agglutination, agglutinating activity — the coalescing of small particles that are suspended in solution; these larger masses are then (usually) precipitated
• amylolysis — conversion of starch to sugar
• association — (chemistry) any process of combination (especially in solution) that depends on relatively weak chemical bonding
• bluing, blueing — a process that makes something blue (or bluish)
• calcification — a process that impregnates something with calcium (or calcium salts)
• catalysis — acceleration of a chemical reaction induced the presence of material that is chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction
• chelation — the process of forming a ring by forming one or more hydrogen bonds
• chemical reaction, reaction — (chemistry) a process in which one or more substances are changed into others
• chlorination — the addition or substitution of chlorine in organic compounds
• cleavage — the breaking of a chemical bond in a molecule resulting in smaller molecules
• corrosion, corroding, erosion — erosion by chemical action
• cracking — the process whereby heavy molecules of naphtha or petroleum are broken down into hydrocarbons of lower molecular weight (especially in the oil-refining process)
• cyanide process — a process for extracting gold and silver by treating ore with a sodium cyanide solution
• deamination, deaminization — removal of the amino radical from an amino acid or other amino compound
• decalcification — loss of calcium from bones or teeth
• decarboxylation — the process of removing a carboxyl group from a chemical compound (usually replacing it with hydrogen)
• de-iodination — the removal of iodine atoms from organic compounds
• demineralization, demineralisation — the removal of minerals and mineral salts from a liquid (especially from water)
• desalination, desalinization, desalinisation — the removal of salt (especially from sea water)
• digestion — the process of decomposing organic matter (as in sewage) by bacteria
• dissociation — (chemistry) the temporary or reversible chemical process in which a molecule or ion is broken down into smaller molecules or ions
• gasification — the process of changing into gas
• gassing — the process of interacting with gas
• hydrogenation — a chemical process that adds hydrogen atoms to an unsaturated oil
• intumescence, intumescency, swelling — the swelling of certain substances when they are heated (often accompanied by release of water)
• iodination — the substitution or addition of iodine atoms in organic compounds
• mechanism, chemical mechanism — the atomic process that occurs during a chemical reaction
• nitrification — the chemical process in which a nitro group is added to an organic compound (or substituted for another group in an organic compound)
• peptization, peptisation — the process of converting to a sol; bringing to a colloidal solution
• photosynthesis — synthesis of compounds with the aid of radiant energy (especially in plants)
• polymerization, polymerisation — a chemical process that combines several monomers to form a polymer or polymeric compound
• precipitation — the process of forming a chemical precipitate
• proteolysis — the hydrolysis of proteins into peptides and amino acids by cleavage of their peptide bonds
• sequestration — the action of forming a chelate or other stable compound with an ion or atom or molecule so that it is no longer available for reactions
• Solvay process — a process for producing sodium carbonate from sodium chloride and ammonia and carbon dioxide
• syneresis, synaeresis — the separation of liquid from a gel that is caused by contraction (as in cheese making)
• synthesis — the process of producing a chemical compound (usually by the union of simpler chemical compounds)
• transamination — the process of transfering an amino group from one compound to another
• transamination — the process of transposing an amino group within a chemical compound
• zymosis, zymolysis, fermentation, fermenting, ferment — a process in which an agent causes an organic substance to break down into simpler substances; especially, the anaerobic breakdown of sugar into alcohol

• natural process, natural action, action, activity — a process existing in or produced by nature (rather than by the intent of human beings)