It is well known that bimetallic microcantilevers can exhibit static deflection as a result of thermal effects, including exothermic adsorption of chemicals on their surfaces. It is shown here that the resonance frequency of a cantilever can change due to a combination of mass loading and change of spring constant resulting from adsorption of chemicals on the surface. Cantilevers also undergo static bending that is induced by differential surface stress. The magnitude of these effects depends upon the chemical properties of the surface and upon the amount of material adsorbed. Hence cantilever deflection as well as resonance frequency change can be used as the basis for development of novel chemical sensors. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.