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Chemistry LibreTexts

11.6: Key Terms

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alloy | solid mixture of a metallic element and one or more additional elements

amphiphilic | molecules possessing both hydrophobic (nonpolar) and a hydrophilic (polar) parts

boiling point elevation | elevation of the boiling point of a liquid by addition of a solute

boiling point elevation constant | the proportionality constant in the equation relating boiling point elevation to solute molality; also known as the ebullioscopic constant

colligative property | property of a solution that depends only on the concentration of a solute species

colloid | (also, colloidal dispersion) mixture in which relatively large solid or liquid particles are dispersed uniformly throughout a gas, liquid, or solid

crenation | process whereby biological cells become shriveled due to loss of water by osmosis

dispersed phase | substance present as relatively large solid or liquid particles in a colloid

dispersion medium | solid, liquid, or gas in which colloidal particles are dispersed

dissociation | physical process accompanying the dissolution of an ionic compound in which the compound’s constituent ions are solvated and dispersed throughout the solution

electrolyte | substance that produces ions when dissolved in water

emulsifying agent | amphiphilic substance used to stabilize the particles of some emulsions

emulsion | colloid formed from immiscible liquids

freezing point depression | lowering of the freezing point of a liquid by addition of a solute

freezing point depression constant | (also, cryoscopic constant) proportionality constant in the equation relating freezing point depression to solute molality

gel | colloidal dispersion of a liquid in a solid

hemolysis | rupture of red blood cells due to the accumulation of excess water by osmosis

Henry’s law | the proportional relationship between the concentration of dissolved gas in a solution and the partial pressure of the gas in contact with the solution

hypertonic | of greater osmotic pressure

hypotonic | of less osmotic pressure

ideal solution | solution that forms with no accompanying energy change

immiscible | of negligible mutual solubility; typically refers to liquid substances

ion pair | solvated anion/cation pair held together by moderate electrostatic attraction

ion-dipole attraction | electrostatic attraction between an ion and a polar molecule

isotonic | of equal osmotic pressure

miscible | mutually soluble in all proportions; typically refers to liquid substances

molality (m) | a concentration unit defined as the ratio of the numbers of moles of solute to the mass of the solvent in kilograms

nonelectrolyte | substance that does not produce ions when dissolved in water

osmosis | diffusion of solvent molecules through a semipermeable membrane

osmotic pressure (Π) | opposing pressure required to prevent bulk transfer of solvent molecules through a semipermeable membrane

partially miscible | of moderate mutual solubility; typically refers to liquid substances

Raoult’s law | the relationship between a solution’s vapor pressure and the vapor pressures and concentrations of its components

saturated | of concentration equal to solubility; containing the maximum concentration of solute possible for a given temperature and pressure

semipermeable membrane | a membrane that selectively permits passage of certain ions or molecules

solubility | extent to which a solute may be dissolved in water, or any solvent

solvation | exothermic process in which intermolecular attractive forces between the solute and solvent in a solution are established

spontaneous process | physical or chemical change that occurs without the addition of energy from an external source

strong electrolyte | substance that dissociates or ionizes completely when dissolved in water

supersaturated | of concentration that exceeds solubility; a nonequilibrium state

suspension | heterogeneous mixture in which relatively large component particles are temporarily dispersed but settle out over time

Tyndall effect | scattering of visible light by a colloidal dispersion

unsaturated | of concentration less than solubility

van’t Hoff factor (i) | the ratio of the number of moles of particles in a solution to the number of moles of formula units dissolved in the solution

weak electrolyte | substance that ionizes only partially when dissolved in water


11.6: Key Terms is shared under a CC BY 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by LibreTexts.

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