Chemical/ˈkemɪkl/ Definition 1 of 3Pro Tip 1/3Natural vs. Man-made Chemicals can be natural like water or man-made like plastic. Salt is a natural chemical, while nylon is a man-made chemical. Pro Tip 2/3Chemistry Building Blocks Chemicals can be elements or combinations known as compounds. Sodium is a chemical element; sodium chloride is a chemical compound. Pro Tip 3/3Everyday Use Everyday products like soap and medicine contain chemicals. The label shows the different chemicals used to make this soap.