The underlying substances or materials upon which processes occur, particularly in chemistry, biology, or electronics where they provide the foundation for reactions or structures.
From Latin substratus, past participle of substernere "to spread under, lay under" (sub- under + sternere to spread). Originally used in medieval Latin for philosophical concepts of underlying reality, adopted into scientific terminology by the 18th century.
Substrates are literally the "spread-out-underneath" foundations of countless processes, from the silicon wafers that enable computer chips to the enzyme binding sites that make life possible. The concept beautifully illustrates how the most fundamental discoveries often happen at the interface between one thing and another.
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