Reagent: meaning, definitions and examples

Primarily used in scientific and laboratory settings to describe a substance used to cause a chemical reaction or to test for its presence.

• Add the reagent to the solution and observe the color change.
• The laboratory uses various reagents for its experiments.

Used in chemistry to describe substances that undergo change during a chemical reaction. This term is often found in textbooks and academic discussions about reaction dynamics.

• Hydrogen and oxygen are reactants in the formation of water.
• The reactants were mixed in the laboratory to study the reaction rate.

Refers to a substance that produces a chemical reaction, often in industrial or military contexts. It can also be used in a more general sense for describing substances with chemical effects.

• The chemical agent was used to clean the industrial equipment.
• Some chemical agents can be dangerous if not handled properly.

This word is commonly used in scientific and laboratory contexts where a substance is added to cause a chemical reaction.

• The scientist added a reagent to the solution to observe the reaction
• The test relies on a specific reagent to indicate the presence of glucose

This expression is used broadly in contexts where a substance or tool is used to perform various tests or diagnostics.

• The water was tested for contaminants using a special testing agent
• The lab technician prepared a testing agent to check for the presence of metal ions in the sample

This term is used in environmental science and medicine to refer to organisms that signify the health of an environment or the effectiveness of sterilization processes.

• Mosses are often used as biological indicators of air quality
• Biological indicators were placed in the autoclave to ensure proper sterilization