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Unit operation
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<p>In <a href="/facts/Chemical_engineering/Fb64amQf">chemical engineering</a> and related fields, a unit operation is a basic step in a <a href="/facts/Process_(engineering)/ntHyBWHg">process</a>. Unit operations involve a physical change or chemical transformation such as separation, crystallization, evaporation, filtration, polymerization, isomerization, and other reactions. For example, in milk processing, the following unit operations are involved: <a href="/facts/Homogenization_(chemistry)/Yv3Bzkr0">homogenization</a>, <a href="/facts/Pasteurization/LnpM2tK1">pasteurization</a>, and <a href="/facts/Packaging/QGRXJLjq">packaging</a>. These unit operations are connected to create the overall process. A process may require many unit operations to obtain the desired product from the starting materials, or feedstocks. </p>