
Generic diagram of a male-female reaction; one that Goethe envisioned things in 1796 (see: Goethe timeline).

Generic diagram of a male-female reaction; one that Goethe envisioned things in 1796 (see: Goethe timeline).

In science, reaction, from Latin reagere “react”, re- “back” + agree “to do, act”, is the coming together, or interaction, of two or more atoms, ions, or molecules with the result that a chemical change takes place and a new substance is formed with a different chemical composition; the nature or operation of which is described by a chemical equation. [1]

Overview
In 1687, Isaac Newton, in his laws of motion, employed the term "reaction", in his third law of motion, that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

In 1717, Newton published his last and final Query 31, wherein he stated the following tendencies to combine:

“Is it not for want of an attractive virtue between the parts of water (∇) and oil, of quick-silver (☿)(Hg) and antimony (♁)(Sb), of lead (♄)(Pb) and iron (♂)(Fe), that these substances do not mix; and by a weak attraction, that quick-silver (☿)(Hg) and copper (♀)(Cu) mix difficultly; and from a strong one, that quicksilver (☿)(Hg) and tin ( ♃)(Sn), antimony (♁)(Sb) and iron (♂)(Fe), water (∇) and salts, mix readily?”

In 1718, French chemist Étienne Geoffroy used these descriptions of affinity gradients, found in Query 31, to construct the world’s first affinity table; from which, in large part, the modern concept of "reaction" or "chemical reaction" was born or was developed, by a number of individuals over the following two centuries.

See also
● Affinity of reaction
● Chain reaction | Action chains
● Chemical reaction
● Extent of reaction | Reaction extent
● Human chemical reaction
● Human chemical reaction theory | HCR theory
● Human reproduction reaction
● Love the chemical reaction
● Male-female reaction
● Reaction coordinate
● ReactionMatch.com

References
1. (a) Clark, John O.E. (2004). The Essential Dictionary of Science (pg. 623). Barnes & Noble.
(b) Reaction – Online Etymology Dictionary.

External links
● Reaction – Wikipedia.