Chapter 13 Introduction

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Biologists define toxins as harmful substances that come from living organisms, like these fly agaric mushrooms.
Arie v.d. Wolde/Shutterstock

CHAPTER 13

Toxic Changes

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In this chapter, you will study

  • how to write, balance, and interpret chemical equations

  • definitions of chemical and physical change

  • how to classify chemical reactions

  • what happens to mass when a chemical change occurs

Chemical changes are necessary for life. However, some substances interact with the body in ways that have unhealthy effects. To monitor and understand toxic interactions, it is necessary to use chemical equations to track changes in matter.