What do reagents do

If chemical A and B are known to create compound C when combined, then chemical A may be used as a reagent to create compound C. A reagent may act as a catalyst, causing a reaction but not being consumed by it. A reagent may also serve as a reactant in which it is consumed by the chemical reaction it triggers. By: Elly McGuinness. By: Jennifer Crump.

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However, a reagent is more broadly defined as any substance or compound that has been added to a system to trigger a chemical reaction. A reagent is used to trigger a chemical reaction and is often used in chemical analysis.

In terms of chemical classifications, a reagent is any organic or inorganic substance that can be added to a mixture to trigger a chain of chemical reactions. This makes certain types of reagents very useful as testing tools in experiments. Similarly, in biochemical reactions, especially those that involve catalytic enzymes, the reactants are called substrates, while the reagents are called catalysts.

When used in organic chemistry, the term reagent means a type of chemical ingredient that is added to an organic mixture or solution in order to transform it into another type of substance. A reagent can be a compound or a mixture of organic or inorganic substances.

Some common examples of reagents used in organic chemistry are:. In terms of analytical chemistry, reagents are used to determine the presence or absence of another type of substance.