How does chemical evolution differ from natural selection?

When discussing life science, the term "chemical evolution" can refer to either molecular evolution or abiogensis. Molecular evolution describes how the chemical structures of proteins, RNA, and DNA change from generation to generation in response to environmental pressures. Natural selection describes the propensity of the most fit individuals to survive environmental pressures, procreate, and pass on the genes that confer that specific fitness to their progeny.

In light of this, there is a significant distinction between the two terms "abiogenesis" and "biogenesis," which relate to the origin of life and the generation of biological responses to environmental stresses, respectively.

If you're referring to molecular evolution, the distinction is that natural selection explains why those chemical processes happen at a higher rate for as long as a specific pressure endures, whereas chemical evolution refers to the chemical processes that happen in DNA, RNA, and proteins as populations evolve over successive generations.

Chemical evolution refers to the gradual process by which simple chemical compounds, such as amino acids and nucleotides, formed and gave rise to more complex molecules, eventually leading to the emergence of life. Natural selection, on the other hand, is the mechanism by which organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to the propagation of those traits in subsequent generations. While chemical evolution deals with the origin of basic building blocks necessary for life, natural selection operates on already-existing life forms, favoring those that are better adapted to their environment. In essence, chemical evolution explains how life's molecular components arose, while natural selection explains how those components have evolved and diversified over time.