Glossary
- Page ID
- 279563
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| (Eg. "Genetic, Hereditary, DNA ...") | (Eg. "Relating to genes or heredity") |  |
The infamous double helix | https://bio.libretexts.org/ | CC-BY-SA; Delmar Larsen |
| Word(s) | Definition | Image | Caption | Link | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| abbreviated electron configuration | An electron configuration that uses one of the noble gases to represent the core of electrons up to that element. | ||||
| absolute zero | The minimum possible temperature, labeled 0 K (zero kelvins). | ||||
| acid | An ionic compound of the cation dissolved in water. | ||||
| acid dissociation constant | The equilibrium constant for the dissociation of a weak acid into ions. | ||||
| acid salt | An ionic compound whose aqueous solution is slightly acidic. | ||||
| activity series | A list of elements that will replace elements below them in single-replacement reactions. | ||||
| actual yield | The amount that is actually produced in a chemical reaction. | ||||
| addition reaction | The reaction of a halogen molecule across a C–C double or triple bond. | ||||
| alkaline battery | A type of dry cell that contains an alkaline (i.e., basic) moist paste, rather than an acidic paste. | ||||
| alkynes | An aliphatic hydrocarbon that contains a C–C triple bond. | ||||
| alpha particle | A type of radioactive emission equivalent to a helium nucleus. | ||||
| amphiprotic | A substance that can act as a proton donor or a proton acceptor. | ||||
| angular momentum quantum number | An index that affects the energy and the spatial distribution of an electron in an atom. Represented by ℓ. | ||||
| Aromatic hydrocarbons | A hydrocarbon that contains a benzene ring. | ||||
| Arrhenius base | A compound that increases the hydroxide ion concentration in aqueous solution. | ||||
| atmosphere | A unit of pressure equal to the average atmospheric pressure at sea level; defined as exactly 760 mmHg. | ||||
| atom | The smallest piece of an element that maintains the identity of that element. | ||||
| atomic bomb | A weapon that depends on a nuclear chain reaction to generate immense forces. | ||||
| atomic mass | The weighted average of the masses of the isotopes that compose an element. | ||||
| atomic mass unit | One-twelfth of the mass of a carbon-12 atom. | ||||
| atomic number | The number of protons in an atom. | ||||
| atomic radius | An indication of the size of the atom. | ||||
| atomic symbol | A one- or two-letter representation of the name of an element. | ||||
| autoionization constant of water | The product of the hydrogen ion and hydroxide ion concentrations. | ||||
| autoionization of water | Water molecules act as acids (proton donors) and bases (proton acceptors) with each other to a tiny extent in all aqueous solutions. | ||||
| balanced | A condition when the reactants and products of a chemical equation have the same number of atoms of all elements present. | ||||
| base | A compound that increases the amount of ions in an aqueous solution. | ||||
| basic salt | An ionic compound whose aqueous solution is slightly basic. | ||||
| battery | A portable voltaic cell that generates electricity to power devices for our convenience. | ||||
| beta particle | A type of radioactive emission equivalent to an electron. | ||||
| boiling point elevation | The increase of a solution’s boiling point because of the presence of solute. | ||||
| boiling point elevation constant | The constant that relates the molality concentration of a solution and its boiling point change. | ||||
| bond energy | The approximate amount of energy needed to bread a covalent bond. | ||||
| Boyle’s law | A gas law that relates pressure and volume at constant temperature and amount. | ||||
| Brønsted-Lowry base | Any species that can accept a proton from another molecule. | ||||
| buffer | A solution that resists dramatic changes in pH. | ||||
| calorimetry | The process of measuring enthalpy changes for chemical reactions. | ||||
| capacity | The amount of strong acid or base a buffer can counteract. | ||||
| catalyst | A substance that increases the speed of a reaction. | ||||
| chain reaction | An exponential growth in a phenomenon. | ||||
| Charles’s law | A gas law that relates volume and temperature at constant pressure and amount. | ||||
| chemical bond | The connection between two atoms in a molecule. | ||||
| chemical change | The process of demonstrating a chemical property. | ||||
| chemical equilibrium | The point at which forward and reverse chemical reactions balance each other’s progress. | ||||
| chemical nomenclature | A very specific system for naming compounds, in which unique substances get unique names. | ||||
| Chemical properties | A characteristic that describes how matter changes form in the presence of other matter. | ||||
| chemistry | The study of the interactions of matter with other matter and with energy. | ||||
| coefficient |
The part of a number in scientific notation that is multiplied by a power of 10. OR A number in a chemical equation indicating more than one molecule of the substance. |
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| cohesion | The tendency of a substance to interact with itself. | ||||
| colligative properties | A property of solutions related to the fraction that the solute particles occupy in the solution, not their identity. | ||||
| combined gas law | A gas law that combines pressure, volume, and temperature. | ||||
| combustion reaction | A chemical reaction in which a reactant combines with oxygen to produce oxides of all other elements as products. | ||||
| complete ionic equation | A chemical equation in which the dissolved ionic compounds are written as separated ions. | ||||
| composition reaction | A chemical reaction in which a single substance is produced from multiple reactants. | ||||
| compound | A combination of more than one element. | ||||
| concentrated | A solution with a lot of solute. | ||||
| concentration | The removal of solvent, which increases the concentration of the solute in the solution. | ||||
| condensed structural formula | A listing of the atoms bonded to each C atom in a chain. | ||||
| conjugate acid-base pairs | Two species whose formulas differ by only a hydrogen ion. | ||||
| conversion factor | A fraction that can be used to convert a quantity from one unit to another. | ||||
| covalent bond | A chemical bond formed by two atoms sharing electrons. | ||||
| covalent network solids | A crystalline solid composed of atoms of one or more elements that are covalently bonded together in a seemingly never-ending fashion. | ||||
| crystalline solid | A solid with a regular, repeating three-dimensional structure. | ||||
| curie (Ci) | A unit of radioactivity equal to decays/s. | ||||
| Dalton’s law of partial pressures | The total pressure of a gas mixture, |
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| daughter isotope | The product left over from the parent isotope in a nuclear equation. | ||||
| decomposition reaction | A chemical reaction in which a single substance becomes more than one substance. | ||||
| degrees | The unit of temperature scales. | ||||
| Density | A physical property defined as a substance’s mass divided by its volume. | ||||
| derived units | A unit that is a product or a quotient of a fundamental unit. | ||||
| dilution equation | The mathematical formula for calculating new concentrations or volumes when a solution is diluted or concentrated. | ||||
| dipole-dipole interactions | An intermolecular force caused by molecules with a permanent dipole. | ||||
| dispersion force | An intermolecular force caused by the instantaneous position of an electron in a molecule. | ||||
| dissociation | The process of an ionic compound separating into ions when it dissolves. | ||||
| double bond | A covalent bond composed of two pairs of bonding electrons. | ||||
| double-replacement reaction | A chemical reaction in which parts of two ionic compounds are exchanged. | ||||
| dry cell | A modern battery that does not contain large amounts of aqueous solution. | ||||
| dynamic equilibrium | A situation in which a process still occurs but the opposite process also occurs at the same rate so that there is no net change in the system. | ||||
| electrolysis | The process of making a nonspontaneous redox reaction occur by forcing electricity into a cell. | ||||
| electromagnetic spectrum | The full span of the possible wavelengths, frequencies, and energies of light. | ||||
| electron affinity (EA) | The energy change when a gas-phase atom accepts an electron. | ||||
| electron configuration | The representation of the organization of electrons in shells and subshells in an atom. | ||||
| electron groups | A covalent bond of any type or a lone electron pair. | ||||
| Electron-deficient molecules | A molecule with less than eight electrons in the valence shell of an atom. | ||||
| electronegativity | A qualitative scale for judging how much atoms of any element attract electrons. | ||||
| electroplating | The deposition of a thin layer of metal on an object for protective or decorative purposes. | ||||
| element | A substance that cannot be broken down into simpler chemical substances by ordinary chemical means. | ||||
| Energy | The ability to do work. | ||||
| enthalpy change | The heat of a process at constant pressure; denoted . | ||||
| enthalpy of formation | The enthalpy change for a formation reaction; denoted |
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| enthalpy of fusion (or heat of fusion) | The amount of energy needed to change from a solid to a liquid or from a liquid to a solid. | ||||
| enthalpy of sublimation | The amount of energy needed to change from a solid to a gas or from a gas to a solid. | ||||
| enthalpy of vaporization | The amount of energy needed to change from a liquid to a gas or from a gas to a liquid. | ||||
| equilibrium constant | A numerical value that relates to the ratio of products and reactants at equilibrium. | ||||
| equivalence point | The point of the reaction when all the analyte has been reacted with the titrant. | ||||
| exact number | A number from a defined relationship that technically has an infinite number of significant figures. | ||||
| exothermic | A chemical reaction that has a negative change in enthalpy. | ||||
| expanded valence shell molecules | A molecule with more than eight electrons in the valence shell of an atom. | ||||
| Experiments | A test of the natural universe to see if a guess (hypothesis) is correct. | ||||
| exponent | The raised number to the right of a 10 indicating the number of factors of 10 in the original number. | ||||
| f block | The columns of the periodic table in which subshells are being occupied. | ||||
| Formation reactions | A chemical reaction that forms one mole of a substance from its constituent elements in their standard states. | ||||
| freezing point depression | The decrease of a solution’s freezing point because of the presence of solute. | ||||
| freezing point depression constant | The constant that relates the molality concentration of a solution and its freezing point change. | ||||
| frequency | The number of cycles of light that pass a given point in one second. | ||||
| fundamental units | One of the seven basic units of SI used in science. | ||||
| Fusion | A nuclear process in which small nuclei are combined into larger nuclei, releasing energy. | ||||
| gamma rays | A type of radioactive emission that is a very energetic form of electromagnetic radiation. | ||||
| Geiger counter | An electrical device that detects radioactivity. | ||||
| half reaction method | The method of balancing redox reactions by writing and balancing the individual half reactions. | ||||
| half-life | The amount of time it takes for one-half of a radioactive isotope to decay. | ||||
| Heat | The transfer of energy from one body to another due to a difference in temperature. | ||||
| Hess’s law | When chemical equations are combined algebraically, their enthalpies can be combined in exactly the same way. | ||||
| heterogeneous equilibrium | An equilibrium in which more than one phase of reactants or products is present. | ||||
| hydrogen bonding | The very strong interaction between molecules due to H atoms being bonded to N, O, or F atoms. | ||||
| hydrogenation reaction | The reaction of hydrogen across a C–C double or triple bond, usually in the presence of a catalyst. | ||||
| hydrolysis | A reaction with water. | ||||
| hydronium ion | The actual chemical species that represents a hydrogen ion. | ||||
| hypothesis | An educated guess about how the natural universe works. | ||||
| ideal gas | A gas that exactly follows the statements of the kinetic theory. | ||||
| ideal gas law | A gas law that relates all four independent physical properties of a gas under any conditions. | ||||
| indicator | A substance whose color change indicates the equivalence point of a titration. | ||||
| ionic bond | The attraction between oppositely charged ions. | ||||
| ionic compounds | A compound formed from positive and negative ions. | ||||
| ionic formulas | The chemical formula for an ionic compound. | ||||
| ionic solid | A crystalline solid composed of ions. | ||||
| Ionization energy (IE) | The amount of energy required to remove an electron from an atom in the gas phase. | ||||
| isolated system | A system that does not allow a transfer of energy or matter into or out of the system. | ||||
| isomers | A molecule with the same molecular formula as another molecule but a different structure. | ||||
| isothermal | A process that does not change the temperature. | ||||
| joule | The SI unit of energy. | ||||
| kelvin | The fundamental unit of temperature in SI. | ||||
| kinetic theory of gases | The fundamental model that describes the physical properties of gases. | ||||
| lattice energy | The measured strength of ionic bonding. | ||||
| law | A specific statement that is thought to be never violated by the entire natural universe. | ||||
| law of conservation of energy | The total energy of an isolated system does not increase or decrease. | ||||
| law of mass action | The relationship of the amounts of reactants and products at equilibrium. | ||||
| Le Chatelier’s principle | If an equilibrium is stressed, then the reaction shifts to reduce the stress. | ||||
| Lewis electron dot diagram | A representation of the valence electrons of an atom that uses dots around the symbol of the element. | ||||
| limiting reagent | The reactant that runs out first. | ||||
| line spectrum | An image that contains only certain colors of light. | ||||
| lone electron pairs | A pair of electrons that does not make a covalent bond. | ||||
| magnetic quantum number | The index that determines the orientation of the electron’s spatial distribution. Represented by . | ||||
| mass number | The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in a nucleus. | ||||
| mass-mass calculations | A calculation in which you start with a given mass of a substance and calculate the mass of another substance involved in the chemical equation. | ||||
| Matter | Anything that has mass and takes up space. | ||||
| meniscus | The curved surface a liquid makes as it approaches a solid barrier. | ||||
| metallic solid | A solid with the characteristic properties of a metal. | ||||
| modern atomic theory | The concept that atoms play a fundamental role in chemistry. | ||||
| molality | The number of moles of solute per kilogram of solvent. | ||||
| molar masses | The mass of 1 mol of a substance in grams. | ||||
| molar volume | The volume of exactly 1 mol of a gas; equal to 22.4 L at STP. | ||||
| Molarity | The number of moles of solute divided by the number of liters of solution. | ||||
| mole | The number of things equal to the number of atoms in exactly 12 g of carbon-12; equals things. | ||||
| mole fraction | The ratio of the number of moles of a component in a mixture divided by the total number of moles in the sample. | ||||
| mole-mass calculation | A calculation in which you start with a given number of moles of a substance and calculate the mass of another substance involved in the chemical equation, or vice versa. | ||||
| mole-mole calculation | A stoichiometry calculation when one starts with moles of one substance and convert to moles of another substance using the balanced chemical equation. | ||||
| molecular formula | A formal listing of what and how many atoms are in a molecule. | ||||
| molecular mass | The sum of the masses of the atoms in a molecule. | ||||
| molecular solid | A crystalline solid whose components are covalently bonded molecules. | ||||
| molecules | The smallest part of a substance that has the physical and chemical properties of that substance. | ||||
| net ionic equation | A chemical equation with the spectator ions removed. | ||||
| neutral salt | An ionic compound that does not affect the acidity of its aqueous solution. | ||||
| neutralization reaction | The reaction of an acid and a base to produce water and a salt. | ||||
| neutron | A subatomic particle with no charge. | ||||
| nonpolar covalent bond | The equal sharing of electrons in a covalent bond. | ||||
| normal boiling point | The characteristic temperature at which a liquid becomes a gas when the surrounding pressure is exactly 1 atm. | ||||
| Nuclear energy | The controlled harvesting of energy from fission reactions. | ||||
| nuclear equation | A chemical equation that emphasizes changes in atomic nuclei. | ||||
| nuclear reactor | An apparatus designed to carefully control the progress of a nuclear reaction and extract the resulting energy for useful purposes. | ||||
| nucleus | The center of an atom that contains protons and neutrons. | ||||
| numerical prefixes | A prefix used with a unit that refers to a multiple or fraction of a fundamental unit to make a more conveniently sized unit for a specific quantity. | ||||
| octet rule | The trend that atoms like to have eight electrons in their valence shell. | ||||
| Odd-electron molecules | A molecule with an odd number of electrons in the valence shell of an atom. | ||||
| orbital | The specific set of principal, angular momentum, and magnetic quantum numbers for an electron. | ||||
| osmotic pressure | The tendency of a solution to pass solvent through a semipermeable membrane due to concentration differences. | ||||
| oxidation number | A number assigned to an atom that helps keep track of the number of electrons on the atom. | ||||
| oxidation numbers | A number assigned to an atom that helps keep track of the number of electrons on the atom. | ||||
| oxidation-reduction (or redox) reactions | A chemical reaction that involves the transfer of electrons. | ||||
| partial pressure | The pressure that an individual gas in a mixture has. | ||||
| parts per billion (ppb) | Ratio of mass of solute to total mass of sample times 1,000,000,000. | ||||
| Pauli exclusion principle | No two electrons in an atom can have the same set of four quantum numbers. | ||||
| percent yield | Actual yield divided by theoretical yield times 100% to give a percentage between 0% and 100%. | ||||
| percentage composition by mass | Ratio of mass of solute to the total mass of a sample times 100. | ||||
| periodic table | A chart of all the elements. | ||||
| periodic trends | Variation of properties versus position on the periodic table. | ||||
| pH | The negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration. | ||||
| pH scale | The range of values from 0 to 14 that describes the acidity or basicity of a solution. | ||||
| photon | The name of a wave of light acting as a particle. | ||||
| physical change | A change that occurs when a sample of matter changes one or more of its physical properties. | ||||
| Physical properties | A characteristic that describes matter as it exists. | ||||
| Planck’s constant | The proportionality constant between the frequency and the energy of light. | ||||
| pOH | The negative logarithm of the hydroxide ion concentration. | ||||
| polar covalent bond | The unequal sharing of electrons in a covalent bond. | ||||
| polyatomic ions | An ion that contains more than one atom. | ||||
| precipitate | A solid that falls out of solution in a precipitation reaction. | ||||
| Pressure | Force per unit area. | ||||
| primary batteries | A battery that cannot be recharged. | ||||
| products | A final substance in a chemical equation. | ||||
| quantitative | A description of a specific amount of something. | ||||
| quantized | When a quantity is restricted to having only certain values. | ||||
| quantum mechanics | The theory of electrons that treats them as a wave. | ||||
| rad | A unit of radioactive exposure equal to 0.01 J/g of tissue. | ||||
| radioactive decay | The spontaneous change of a nucleus from one element to another. | ||||
| radioactivity | Emanations of particles and radiation from atomic nuclei. | ||||
| Raoult’s law | The mathematical formula for calculating the vapor pressure of a solution. | ||||
| rem | A unit of radioactive exposure that includes a factor to account for the type of radioactivity. | ||||
| salt | Any ionic compound that is formed from a reaction between an acid and a base. | ||||
| salt bridge | A part of a voltaic cell that contains a solution of some ionic compound whose ions migrate to either side of the voltaic cell to maintain the charge balance. | ||||
| saturated hydrocarbons | A carbon compound with the maximum possible number of H atoms in its formula. | ||||
| Science | The process of knowing about the natural universe through observation and experiment. | ||||
| Scientific notation | An expression of a number using powers of 10. | ||||
| secondary batteries | A battery that can be recharged. | ||||
| semimetals (or metalloids) | An element that has properties of both metals and nonmetals. | ||||
| semipermeable membrane | A thin membrane that will pass certain small molecules but not others. | ||||
| shell | A term used to describe electrons with the same principal quantum number. | ||||
| significant figures | The limit of the number of places a measurement can be properly expressed with. | ||||
| single bond | A covalent bond composed of one pair of electrons. | ||||
| single-replacement reaction | A chemical reaction in which one element is substituted for another element in a compound. | ||||
| solubility | The maximum amount of a solute that can be dissolved in a given amount of a solvent. | ||||
| solubility product constant | The equilibrium constant for a compound normally considered insoluble. | ||||
| solubility rules | General statements that predict which ionic compounds dissolve and which do not. | ||||
| solute | The minor component of a solution. | ||||
| solution | Another name for a homogeneous mixture. | ||||
| specific heat capacity | The proportionality constant between heat, mass, and temperature change; also called specific heat. | ||||
| spectator ions | An ion that does nothing in the overall course of a chemical reaction. | ||||
| spin quantum number | The index that indicates one of two spin states for an electron. Represented by . | ||||
| spontaneous fission (or fission) | The breaking apart of an atomic nucleus into smaller nuclei. | ||||
| Standard notation | A straightforward expression of a number. | ||||
| standard reduction potentials | The voltage of a reduction half reaction relative to the hydrogen half reaction. | ||||
| Standard temperature and pressure (STP) | A set of benchmark conditions used to compare other properties of gases; about 1 atm for pressure and 273 K for temperature. | ||||
| stoichiometry | The relating of one chemical substance to another using a balanced chemical reaction. | ||||
| subshell | A term used to describe electrons in a shell that have the same angular momentum quantum number. | ||||
| substance | Matter that has the same physical and chemical properties throughout. | ||||
| supersaturated | A unstable solution with more than the normal maximum amount of solute in it. | ||||
| Surface tension | An effect caused by an imbalance of forces on the atoms at the surface of a liquid. | ||||
| surrounding atoms | An atom that makes covalent bonds to the central atom(s). | ||||
| theoretical yield | An amount that is theoretically produced as calculated using the balanced chemical reaction. | ||||
| theory | A general statement that explains a large number of observations. | ||||
| thermochemical equation | A chemical equation that includes an enthalpy change. | ||||
| titration | A chemical reaction performed quantitatively to determine the exact amount of a reagent. | ||||
| torr | Another name for a millimeter of mercury. | ||||
| tracer | A substance that can be used to follow the pathway of that substance through a structure. | ||||
| triple bond | A covalent bond composed of three pairs of bonding electrons. | ||||
| unsaturated | A solution with less than the maximum amount of solute dissolved in it. | ||||
| valence shell | The highest-numbered shell in an atom that contains electrons. | ||||
| valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) | The general concept that estimates the shape of a simple molecule. | ||||
| van’t Hoff factor | The number of particles each solute formula unit breaks apart into when it dissolves. | ||||
| vapor | Material in the gas phase due to evaporation. | ||||
| vapor pressure | The partial pressure exerted by evaporation of a liquid. | ||||
| vapor pressure depression | The decrease of a solution’s vapor pressure because of the presence of a solute. | ||||
| voltage | The tendency for electrons to go from one half cell to another. | ||||
| voltaic (galvanic) cell | An apparatus that allows for useful electrical work to be extracted from a redox reaction. | ||||
| weak acid | Any acid that is less than 100% dissociated into ions in aqueous solution. | ||||
| weak base | Any base that is less than 100% dissociated into ions in aqueous solution. |