Chemistry Definitions Flashcards

1
Q

Definition of: acid

A

A substance that produces hydrogen ions (H+) when dissolved in water.

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2
Q

Definition of: acid-alkali indicator

A

A substance used to show if a solution is acidic or alkaline. It will have a different colour in each type of solution.

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3
Q

Definition of: acidic solution

A

A solution that has a pH < 7.

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4
Q

Definition of: acidic rain

A

Rain that has a pH < 5; produced when gases such as sulfur dioxide dissolve in rainwater.

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5
Q

Definition of: activation energy

A

The minimum energy required by colliding particles for reaction to occur.

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6
Q

Definition of: alkali

A

A base that dissolves in water to form hydroxide ions (OH-).

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7
Q

Definition of: alkaline solution

A

A solution that has a pH > 7.

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8
Q

Definition of: alkane

A

A saturated hydrocarbon with the general formula CnH2n+2.

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9
Q

Definition of: alkene

A

An unsaturated hydrocarbon with the general formula CnH2n.

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10
Q

Definition of: anion

A

A negatively charred ion. For example, Cl- , O^2- , OH- , NO3- , etc.

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11
Q

Definition of: atom

A

The smallest particle of an element that can take part in a chemical reaction.

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12
Q

Definition of: atomic number

A

The number if protons in the nucleus of an atom.

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13
Q

Definition of: base

A

A substance that neutralises an acid to form a salt.

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14
Q

Definition of: bauxite

A

The main ore of aluminium, from which aluminium is extracted.

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15
Q

Definition of: brine

A

A concentrated solution of sodium chloride in water.

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16
Q

Definition of: catalyst

A

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction but which is chemically unchanged at the end of the reaction.

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17
Q

Definition of: cation

A

A positively charged ion. For example, Na+ , Mg^2+ , Al^3+ , NH4+ , etc.

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18
Q

Definition of: combustion

A

A chemical reaction involving burning.

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19
Q

Definition of: compound

A

A substance made up of two or more elements chemically combined together.

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20
Q

Definition of: contact process

A

The name of the industrial process used for making sulfuric acid.

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21
Q

Definition of: corrosion

A

A chemical reaction between a metal and oxygen.

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22
Q

Definition of: covalent bond

A

The force of attraction between the nuclei of two atoms and a pair of electrons shared between them.

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23
Q

Definition of: cracking

A

The process of breaking long-chain alkane molecules into short-chain alkanes and alkenes.

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24
Q

Definition of: crude oil

A

A naturally occurring mixture of many hydrocarbons.

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25
Q

Definition of: cryolite

A

A mineral of aluminium used in its molten form for dissolving aluminium oxide in the electrolytic manufacture of aluminium.

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26
Q

Definition of: decomposition

A

Breaking down a compound into simpler substances (either elements and/or other compounds).

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27
Q

Definition of: diffusion

A

The movement of particles (atoms, molecules or ions) from an area of high concentration to one of lower concentration.

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28
Q

Definition of: displacement reaction

A

A reaction in which one substance replaces another, for example chlorine displacing bromine from a bromide or zinc displacing copper from a copper salt or zinc displacing copper from copper(II) oxide.

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29
Q

Definition of: distillation

A

The process of separating a liquid from a solution of a solid in the liquid.

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30
Q

Definition of: dynamic equilibrium

A

The condition that exists when the rate of the forward and backward reactions in a reversible reaction mixture are equal.

31
Q

Definition of: effervescence

A

The rapid production of bubbles of gas produced during a reaction taking place in aqueous solution.

32
Q

Definition of: electrode

A

A solid electrical conductor that forms the connection between the electrolyte and the external electrical circuit in electrolysis.

33
Q

Definition of: electrolysis

A

The decomposition of a substance by passing an electric current through it.

34
Q

Definition of: electronic configuration

A

The way that the electrons are arranged into shells in an atom, for example Na 2.8.1

35
Q

Definition of: electron

A

A negatively charged sub-atomic particle with next to no mass.

36
Q

Definition of: element

A

A substance made up of atoms that all contain the same number of protons

37
Q

Definition of: empirical formula

A

Proportions of elements available in a compound

38
Q

Definition of: endothermic reaction

A

A reaction that takes in heat energy

39
Q

Definition of: exothermic reaction

A

A reaction that gives out heat energy.

40
Q

Definition of: Faraday constant

A

The quantity of electric charge carried by one mole of electrons.

41
Q

Definition of: fermentation

A

The conversion of glucose to ethanol and carbon dioxide.

42
Q

Definition of: flame test

A

A method of identifying a metal cation by the colour it produces in a non-luminous Bunsen flame.

43
Q

Definition of: fraction

A

A mixture containing several compounds all of which have similar boiling points.

44
Q

Definition of: fractional distillation

A

The process of separating the liquids in a mixture of miscible liquids, using the fact that the liquids have different boiling points.

45
Q

Definition of: Haber process

A

The name of the industrial process used for making ammonia.

46
Q

Definition of: halogen

A

An element in Group 7 of the Periodic Table.

47
Q

Definition of: homologous series

A

A group of organic compounds in which each member differs from the next member by a –CH2– unit.

48
Q

Definition of: hydrocarbon

A

A compound made up of only the elements hydrogen and carbon.

49
Q

Definition of: immiscible liquids

A

Liquids that do not mix together.

50
Q

Definition of: intermolecular force

A

The force of attraction between individual molecules.

51
Q

Definition of: ion

A

An electrically charged atom or group of atoms e.g. Na+ , Cl- , NH4+ , SO4^2-

52
Q

Definition of: ionic bond

A

The force of attraction between oppositely charged ions in a compound.

53
Q

Definition of: isomers

A

Compounds that have the same molecular formula but different displayed formulae.

54
Q

Definition of: isotopes

A

Atoms of the same element that have different masses. They contain the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

55
Q

Definition of: litmus

A

The most common acid-alkali indicator. It is red in a solution with a pH 8.

56
Q

Definition of: mass number

A

The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

57
Q

Definition of: metallic bond

A

The force of attraction between the positive metal ions and the delocalised electrons in a metal.

58
Q

Definition of: mineral

A

A rock found in the Earth’s crust that contains a metal or a metal compound.

59
Q

Definition of: miscible liquids

A

Liquids that can mix together.

60
Q

Definition of: mixture

A

A combination of two or more substances (elements and/or compounds) that are not chemically joined together.

61
Q

Definition of: molar enthalpy change

A

The net heat energy change per mole in a chemical reaction.

62
Q

Definition of: molar volume

A

The volume of one mole of a gas. At r.t.p it is 24dm^3.

63
Q

Definition of: mole

A

The amount of substance containing 6 x 10^23 particles (atoms, modules or formulae) of the substance.

64
Q

Definition of: molecular formula

A

The exact number of atoms of each element present in a molecule of a substance.

65
Q

Definition of: molecule

A

The smallest particle of a substance that can have a separate, independent existence.

66
Q

Definition of: monatomic molecule

A

A molecule that contains only one atom ( e.g. Those of the noble gases).

67
Q

Definition of: monomer

A

The unit molecule from which a polymer is made.

68
Q

Definition of: neutralisation

A

The reaction between an acid and a base to produce a salt.

69
Q

Definition of: neutral solution

A

A solution that has a pH of 7.

70
Q

Definition of: neutron

A

A neutral sub-atomic present in the nucleus of an atom.

71
Q

Definition of: ore

A

A mineral that contains enough of a metal or a metal compound to make it worthwhile extracting the metal.

72
Q

Definition of: oxidation

A

The removal of electrons from a substance, or the addition of oxygen.

73
Q

Definition of: oxidising agent

A

A substance that is capable of oxidising another substance.

74
Q

Definition of: Periodic Table

A

A table in which thy elements are arranged on order of increasing atomic number. Elements with similar properties appear in the same groups (vertical columns).