Chemistry Packet Flashcards
Group of chemicals used in addition to vascular (arterial) and cavity embalming fluids; includes, but is not limited to: hardening compounds, preservative powders, sealing agents, mold preventative agents, and pack application agents.
- Not injected arterially and not emblaming chemicals
Accessory Chemicals
Chemicals added to the embalming solution to deal with varying demands predicted upon the type of embalming, the environment, and the embalming fluid to be used.
- Comes pre-mixed in the arterial fluid.
Modifying Agents
Fluid injected for purposes other than preservation and disinfection. Generally fall into one of three categories: pre-injection, co-injection and humectants or restorative fluids.
- Comes separate from arterial fluid
Supplemental Fluids
- Arrhenius
- Bronstead-Lowry
- Lewis
Acid Definitions (People)
A substance that yields hydrogen or hydronium ions in a/an water (aqueous) solution.
Acid (Arrhenius)
A substance that donates a proton.
Acid (Bronsted-Lowry)
A substance that accepts a pair of electrons.
Acid (Lewis)
A natural or synthetic material used to impart a color to another material.
Dye
Dyes that impart a natural color in the tissues.
Active Dyes
Used to distinguish the difference between various chemicals.
- Commonly used in cavity fluid (often blue)
Passive Dyes
A wax-like material produced by saponification of body fat in a body buried in alkaline soil.
Adipocere (Gravewax)
The reaction between a fat and a strong base to produce glycerol and the salt of fatty acid (soap).
Saponification
Intravascular: the increase of viscosity of blood brought about by the clumping of particulate formed elements in the blood vessels. (Congealing)
- A general term
Agglutination
The process of converting soluble protein into insoluble protein by heating or by contact with a chemical such as an alcohol or an aldehyde (Congealing).
- A specific term
Coagulation
A protein found throughout the body and is highly suspectibe to decomposition (Soluble).
Albumin
Proteins that have been cross-linked by preservatives to become highly unsuspectible to decomposition (Insoluble).
Albuminoids
A saturated hydrocarbon; a hydrocarbon that has no carbon-carbon multiple bonds; formally called the paraffin series.
Alkane (Saturated Hydrocarbons)
A hydrocarbon containing a double bond.
Alkene
A hydrocarbon containing a triple bond.
Alkyne
Less dangerous than beta radiation and Gamma Radiation.
Alpha Radiation
More dangerous than alpha radiation, but less dangerous than gamma rays.
Beta Radiation
More dangerous than Beta radiation or Alpha radiation. A type of electromagnetic radiation.
Gamma Rays
A building up process of postmortem caloricity.
Anabolism
Breaking down process of postmortem caloricity.
Catabolism
The study of all the enzymatically controlled reactions in a living cell.
Metabolism
The rise in temperature after death due to continued cellular metabolism.
Postmortem Caloricity
Ingredient of embalming fluids that retards the natural postmortem tendency of blood to become more viscous or prevents adverse reactions between blood and other embalming chemicals (can be pre or co injection).
Anticoagulant
- Attempt to break up blood clots
- Prevent adverse reactions between embalming chemicals and the blood
- Keeps blood more liquid
Functions of Anticoagulants
Injected with the arterial fluid.
Co-Injections
Injected before the arterial fluid.
Pre-Injections
The smallest particle of an element that has all the properties of the element.
Atom
The smallest unit of a compound which can exist alone; an aggregation of atoms, specifically a chemical of two or more atoms which form a specific chemical substance.
Molecule
The tabular arrangement of the elements in order of increasing atomic number so that the columns of elements represent the periodic recurrence of elements with similar properties.
Periodic Table
The number of protons and neutrons added together.
Atomic Mass
The total positive charge on a nucleus is determined by the number of protons. This number is called this. It gives the atom its identity.
Atomic Number
A substance that yields hydroxide ions in aqueous solution.
Base (Arrhenius)
A substance that accepts a proton. An acid is a proton donor and this is a proton acceptor.
Base (Bronsted-Lowry)
A substance that donates a pair of electrons.
Base (Lewis)
A substance consisting of two or more atoms combined chemically in definite proportions by mass.
Compound
A combination of two or more substances not chemically united and in no definite proportion by mass.
Mixture
A homogeneous mixture of one or more substances (solutes) dissolved in a sufficient quantity of solvent.
Solution
Occurs when a red blood cell is placed in a hypertonic solution which will cause it to shrink.
Crenation
Occurs when a cell is placed into a hypotonic solution which causes the cell to burst.
Hemolysis
1/100th
Centi
1/100th of a meter.
Centimeter
1/10th
Deci
1/10th of a Meter
Decimeter
1/1,000th
Milli
1/1000th of a meter.
Millimeter
One in which a new substance or substances are produced that have entirely different properties from the original substance because the chemical composition has changed.
- I.E.- Decomposition
Chemical Change
A change in the form or state of matter without any change in chemical composition.
Physical Change
Separation of compounds into simpler substances by the action of Microbial and/or autolytic enzymes.
Decomposition
Decomposition of proteins by enzymes of aerobic bacteria.
Decay
Decomposition of proteins by the action of enzymes from anaerobic bacteria.
Putrefaction
A red dye derived from the action of bromine on fluorscein. It is very commonly used in arterial fluids (active dye).
Eosin
A common dye which is used to test for blood circulation.
Fluorescein
Chemicals having the capability of displacing an unpleasant odor or of altering an unpleasant odor so that it is converted to a more pleasant one.
- historically called reodorants
Deodorants (Masking Agents, Perfuming Agents)
The movement of molecules or other particles in solution from an area of greater concentration to an area of lesser concentration until uniform concentration is reached.
Diffusion
Passage of some components of the injected embalming solution from an intravascular to an extravascular location; movements of the embalming solutions from the capillaries into the interstitial fluids.
Diffusion Arterial Solution
The movement of embalming solutions from the point of injection throughout the arterial system and into the capillaries.
Distribution (Fluid)
An agent, usually chemical, applied to inanimate objects/surfaces to destroy disease causing microbial agents, but usually not bacterial spores.
Disinfectant
The destruction and/or inhibition of most pathogenic organisms and their products in or on the body.
Disinfection
The act of mixing two insoluble liquids.
Emulsification
A mixture of two insoluble liquids, one being dispersed throughout the other in small droplets.
Emulsion
Commercial formalin is a mixture of formaldehyde gas dissolved in water which consists of 37% by weight, 40% by volume and contains 7% methyl alcohol.
Formalin
The amount of heat necessary to change 1 gram of solid to 1 gram in the liquid state at the melting point.
Heat of Fusion
The amount of heat necessary to change 1 gram of a substance from a liquid to a gaseous state at the boiling point.
Heat of Vaporization
Water loving.
Hydrophilic
Water fearing.
Hydrophobic
Absorbing moisture readily.
Hygroscopic
The strength of embalming fluids indicated by the number of grams of pure formaldehyde gas dissolved in 100ml of solution; usually refers to a percentage.
Index
How many ounces of HCHO are there in a 20 ounce bottle of Formalin, index is 25?
5 Ounces
Index= .25
.25 X 20= 5
All embalming fluids will contain this since it is so closely associated iwth the manufacture of formalin. Some fluids contain extra because this stabilizes formalin and because it is both a solvent and a germicide.
Methanol (Methyl Alcohol, Wood Alcohol)
A solvent and a disinfectant in embalming fluid, it is noted for its ability to dehydrate tissue.
Ethyl Alcohol (Ethanol, Grain Alcohol)
When a word ends with this suffix it means it is an alcohol.
ol
A neutral subatomic particle with a mass similar to that of a proton, it is normally found in the nucleus of the atom.
Neutron
A subatomic particle normally found in the nucleus of an atom. It has a relative mass number of 1 and an electrical charge of +1.
Proton
A subatomic particle with a negative electrical charge and a mass that is 1/1,857 that of a proton. Found outside the nucleus of an atom.
Electron
A deposit of an insoluble or very slightly soluble solid substance in solution.
Precipitant
The linking together of monomers or basic chemical units to form a polymer (Process).
Polymerization (Precipitation)
A polymer of formaldehyde and exists as a solid. It is almost pure formaldehyde. It is insoluble, so it cannot be used in embalming fluids. It is most commonly used in the powdered preservative compositions such as hardening compounds and embalming powder.
Paraformaldehyde
The measure of hydrogen ion concentration of a solution. The lower the number the more acidic and the higher the number the more base or alkaline.
- 0-6.9 is acid
- 7 is neutral
- 7.1-14 is base (alkaline)
pH (Potential of Hydrogen)
A period immediately following death and before rigor mortis occurs where the muscles of the body are limp and flaccid.
- pH moving from 7.4 to 7.0 after death.
Primary Flaccidity
pH moving from 7.0 to 6.0, then back to 6.0 to 7.0 after death.
State of Rigor
A condition, which occurs after rigor mortis has left the body where the muscles of the body return to a state of limpness and flaccidity.
- pH moving from 7.0 to 7.4 after death.
Secondary Flaccidity
This is the pH that bacteria thrive in.
8.0
An aromatic alcohol and is an excellent disinfectant. It penetrates tissues very well and bleaches tissue where required (such as surface discoloration). This is a derivative of coal tars.
- Almost always a disinfectant
- In minute amounts this can be an antiseptic.
Phenol
Techniques invented by Dr. Gunter vin Hagens used to preserve bodies for anatomical studies. The embalmed body is placed into a solvent bath containing acetone and reactive polymers. A vacuum removes the water, fatty tissue, and acetone.
Plastination
A substance dissolved in solvent to form a solution; the component of a solution present in a lesser amount.
Solute
A homogeneous mixture of one or more substances (solutes) dissolved in a sufficient quantity of solvent.
Solution
The process of dissolving.
Solvation
A substance which does the dissolving in a solution; the component of a solution present in a greater amount.
Solvent
Oven or appliance for sterilizing; an autoclave that disinfects by steam under pressure at temperatures above 100 degrees Celsius.
- Can also be done with cold chemical sterilants
Sterilizers
Process that renders a substance free of all microorganisms.
Sterilization
Written below and to the right of the number and represent the definite proportion by mass.
Subscripts
Written above and to the right of the number and represent the oxidation number.
Superscripts
The dissolving of a substance in alcohol.
Tincture
Alcohol
ol
Aldehyde
al
A gas, especially teh gaseous form of a substance that at ordinary temperatures is a liquid or solid.
Vapor
The physical change from a liquid into a gas.
Vaporization
