Final answer:
Reactants are substances that exist at the start of a chemical reaction and are consumed during the reaction, while products are new substances formed as the result of the reaction. Reactants are found on the left side of a chemical equation, and products are on the right.
Step-by-step explanation:
The difference between reactants and products in a chemical reaction depends on their role and timing in the reaction process. Reactants are the substances present at the beginning of a chemical reaction, and they participate in the reaction to transform into other substances. These new substances formed as a result of the chemical reaction are known as the products. An easy way to remember this is by looking at a simple chemical equation: reactants are written on the left side of the arrow and the products on the right side. For example, in the combustion of methane (CH4 + 2O2 → CO2 + 2H2O), methane and oxygen are the reactants that react to form carbon dioxide and water, which are the products.
Analogously, if you think about baking chocolate chip cookies, the ingredients like flour, butter, sugar, etc., are the reactants, and the cookies that come out of the oven are the products. In this scenario, the mixing bowl acts as the reaction vessel.