Chemistry Keyword Definitions

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  • Created by: abi
  • Created on: 21-01-13 10:48
Activation Energy
The minimum energy needed to start of a reaction.
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Alkali Metal
Elements in Group 1 of the periodic table. e.g. lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K)
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Alloy
A mixture of metals (and sometimes non-metals). For example, brass is a mixture of copper and zinc.
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Anhydrous
Describes a substance that does not contain water.
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Aqueous Solution
The mixture made by adding a soluble substance to water.
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Atmosphere
The relatively thin layer of gases that surround the planet.
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Atom
The smallest part of the element that can still be recognized as the element.
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Atomic Number
The number of protons (which equals the number of electrons) in an atom. It is sometimes called the proton number.
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Base
The oxide, hydroxide or carbonate of metal that will react with an acid, forming a salt as one of the products. (If a base dissolves in water it is called an alkali). Bases are proton (H+ ion) acceptors.
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Biodegradable
Materials that can be broken down by microorganisms
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Biodiesel
Fuel for cars made from plant oils.
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Biofuel
Fuel made from animal or plant products.
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Bioleaching
Process of extraction of metals from ores using microorganisms.
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Blast Furnace
The huge reaction vessels used in industry to extract iron from its ore.
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Bond Energy
The energy need to break a particular chemical bond.
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Brine
A solution made of sodium chloride in water,
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Calcium Carbonate
The main compound found in limestone. It is a white solid whose formula is CaCO₃.
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Catalyst
A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction but remains chemically unchanged itself at the end of the reaction.
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Collision Theory
An explanation of chemical reactions in terms of reacting particles colliding with sufficient energy for a reaction to take place.
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Compound
A substance made when two or more elements are chemically bounded together. For example, water is a compound made from hydrogen and oxygen.
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Delocalised Electron
Bonding electron that is no longer associated with any one particular atom.
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Displace
When one element takes place of another in a compound. For example: iron + copper sulfate ---> iron sulfate + copper
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Distillation
Separation of a liquid from a mixture by evaporation followed by condensation.
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Endothermic
A reaction that takes in energy from the surroundings.
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Functional Groups
An atom or group of atoms that give organic compounds their characteristic reactions.
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Hard Water
Water in which it is difficult to form a lather with soap. It contains calcium and/or magnesium ions which react with soap to produce scum.
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Homologous Series
A group of related organic compounds that have the same functional group, e.g. the molecules of the homologous series of alcohols all contain the -OH group.
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Incomplete Combustion
When a fuel burns in insufficient oxygen, producing carbon monoxide as a toxic product.
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Ion-exchange column
A water softener which works by replacing calcium and magnesium ions with sodium or hydrogen ions, removing the hardness.
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Ionic Bond
The electrostatic force of attraction between positively and negatively charged ions.
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Mass Number
The number of protons plus neutrons in the nucleus of the atom.
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Mole
The amount of substance in the realtive atomic or formula mass of a substance in grams.
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Molecular Formula
The chemical formula that shows the actual numbers of atoms in a particular molecule.
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Molecular Ion Peak
The peak on the mass spectrum of a substance which tells us the relative molecular mass of the substance. The peak is produced by the heaviest positive ion shown on the mass spectrum.
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Molecule
A group of atoms bonded together.
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Oxidation
The reaction when oxygen is added to a substance (or when electrons are lost)
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Oxidised
A reaction where oxygen is added to a substance (or when electrons are lost from a substance).
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Periodic Table
An arrangement of elements in the order of their atomic numbers, forming groups and periods.
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Precipitate
An insoluble solid formed by a reaction taking place in a sloution.
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Reactivity Series
A list of elements in order of their reactivity. The most reactive element is put at the top of the list.
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Relative Atom Mass, A
The average mass of the atoms of element compared with carbon-12. The average mass must be taken into account the proportions of the naturally occurring isotopes of the element.
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Relative formula Mass, M
The total of the relative atomic masses, added up in the ratio shown in the chemical formula of a substance.
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Retention Time
The time it takes a component in a mixture to pass through the column during gas chromotography.
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Reversible Reaction
A reaction in which the products can re-form the reactants.
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Salt
A salt is a compound formed when some or all of the hydrogen in an acid is replaced by a metal (or by an ammonia ion). For example, potassium nitrate.
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Soft Water
Water containing no dissolved calcium and/or magnesium salts, so it easily forms a lather with soap.
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Titration
A method for measuring the volumes of two solutions that react together.
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Titanium
A shiny, corrosion-resistant metal used to make alloys.
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

Elements in Group 1 of the periodic table. e.g. lithium (Li), sodium (Na), potassium (K)

Back

Alkali Metal

Card 3

Front

A mixture of metals (and sometimes non-metals). For example, brass is a mixture of copper and zinc.

Back

Preview of the back of card 3

Card 4

Front

Describes a substance that does not contain water.

Back

Preview of the back of card 4

Card 5

Front

The mixture made by adding a soluble substance to water.

Back

Preview of the back of card 5
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