Science, Tech, Math › Science Heterogeneous Reaction Definition Print Juan Carlos Juarez Jaramillo / Getty Images Science Chemistry Chemical Laws Basics Molecules Periodic Table Projects & Experiments Scientific Method Biochemistry Physical Chemistry Medical Chemistry Chemistry In Everyday Life Famous Chemists Activities for Kids Abbreviations & Acronyms Biology Physics Geology Astronomy Weather & Climate By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Chemistry Expert Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on January 11, 2020 A heterogeneous reaction is a chemical reaction where the reactants are in different phases from each other. In a homogeneous reaction, the reactants are in the same phase as one another. What Is a Heterogeneous Mixture? Definition and Examples By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Read More Examples The reaction between acid and metal is a heterogeneous reaction. A reaction between a gas and a liquid, as between air and seawater, is heterogeneous. A reaction at the surface of a catalyst is heterogeneous. In contrast, a reaction between two miscible liquids or between two gases is homogeneous. Sources Guéguen, Yves; Palciauskas, Victor (May 1994). Introduction to the Physics of Rocks. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-03452-2. Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Heterogeneous Reaction Definition." ThoughtCo, Aug. 29, 2020, thoughtco.com/definition-of-heterogeneous-reaction-605207. Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. (2020, August 29). Heterogeneous Reaction Definition. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-heterogeneous-reaction-605207 Helmenstine, Anne Marie, Ph.D. "Heterogeneous Reaction Definition." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/definition-of-heterogeneous-reaction-605207 (accessed March 28, 2024). copy citation