chemically

Everyday

1. In a way that involves chemistry or chemicals: chemically treated wood. tree →
2. In terms of what something is made of at the level of atoms and molecules: "Chemically, water is H2O." tree →

In the lessons

In science lessons "chemically" helps describe chemical changes: when wood burns or iron rusts, it changes chemically into new substances, unlike melting ice, which is a physical change. In everyday life it appears on labels: chemically treated, chemically cleaned. Phrases: chemically identical, chemically different, react chemically.

Examples

• Iron changes chemically when it rusts. tree →
• Diamond and coal are chemically very similar — both are carbon. tree →
• The wood has been chemically treated to stop it rotting. tree →
• Chemically, salt is sodium chloride. tree →
• Burning paper changes it chemically into ash and smoke. tree →
• Melting ice is not changed chemically; it is still water. tree →

Note

Adverb of "chemical" (+ly → chemically, with -ally). Pronounced KEM-ik-lee; the "ch" sounds like k. Key science idea: a chemical change makes a new substance; a physical change does not.