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4.7: Key Terms

Last updated

Jul 30, 2024
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- 4.6: Colloids
- 4.8: Key Equations

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Example and Directions
Words (or words that have the same definition)	The definition is case sensitive	(Optional) Image to display with the definition [Not displayed in Glossary, only in pop-up on pages]	(Optional) Caption for Image	(Optional) External or Internal Link	(Optional) Source for Definition
(Eg. "Genetic, Hereditary, DNA ...")	(Eg. "Relating to genes or heredity")		The infamous double helix	https://bio.libretexts.org/	CC-BY-SA; Delmar Larsen

Glossary Entries
Word(s)	Definition	Image	Caption	Link	Source
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

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

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