What is a product in a chemical reaction?

In a chemical reaction, a product refers to a new element or molecule that is formed as a result of the reaction. When reactants undergo a chemical change, they break and form bonds to create these new substances. This transformation is fundamental to the process of chemical reactions and defines the outcome of the interaction between the initial substances, known as reactants.

While starting elements, energy sources, and catalysts play important roles in the dynamics of reactions, they do not represent the end results of those reactions. The products are what you observe after the chemical process has taken place, distinctly different from what was initially involved in the reaction.