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I have included in this glossary a collection of prefixes,
suffixes and root words in hopes that some words I may have forgotten to
define can be figured out. These are in bold, with prefixes and suffixes
followed or preceded by a hyphen, respectively. Roots have no hyphens.
I have left words as lower case except in those cases where capitalization
is necessary. As is customary for me, the term being defined is underlined
Glossary
A B CDE
F GHI
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V WXY
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- ab-
- from
- absolute zero
- The temperature at which all motion will cease. 0
Kelvin or -273.15oC.
- acid, Arrhenius
- a substance which ionizes in aqueous solution to yield
hydrogen ions (H+)
- acid, Lewis
- a substance which acts as an electron pair donor
- acid, Bronsted-Lowry
- a substance which acts as a proton (H+) donor
- acid-base reaction
- A reaction between and acid and a base, resulting in the
generation of a conjugate base and a conjugate acid.
- acid-ionization constant, Ka
- The degree to which an acid ionizes; Ka = [H+][A-] ------
[HA]
- acidosis
- A condition in which blood is more acidic than usual.
- alkalosis
- A condition in which blood is more basic than usual.
- acid rain
- A term used to describe rain that has an abnormally low
pH (generally below pH 5.6)
- acidic oxide
- An oxide that reacts with water to produce an acid.
Nonmetal oxides are acidic, e.g. CO2 + H2O
 H2CO3
- acidic solution
- A solution that has a higher concentration of hydrogen
ions than hydroxide ions; a pH between 1 and 7.
- actinide
- A member of the group following actinium in the periodic
table, and set below the main body of the periodic table;
elements 90-103
- activation energy
- the amount of energy required to move a molecule to the
transition state. In other words, the amount of energy required
to start a reaction.
- ad-
- towards
- a(n)-
- without
- accuracy
- How close a measurement is to the “true value.”
- activation energy
- (DG) The amount of energy required
to convert all the molecules of a reacting substance from
the ground state to the transition state.
- activity series
- Arrangement of metals by their tendency to lose their valence
electrons.
- adenosine triphosphate (ATP)
- A ribonucleoside 5'-triphosphate functioning as a phosphate
group donor in the cell energy cycle; carries chemical energy
between metabolic pathways by serving as a shared intermediate
coupling endergonic and exergonic reactions.
- adipo
- fat
- allo-
- other
- alkali metal
- Elements which are members of group IA as used in this
course. The alkali metals are Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs and
Fr.
- alkaline earth metal
- Elements which are members of group IIA as used in this
course. The alkaline earth metals are Be, Mg, Ca, Sr,
Ba and Ra.
- alloy
- A solution of two or more metals. An example would
be bronze, a solution of copper and iron.
- alpha (a) particle
- a He2+ ion
- ambi-
- both
- amphi-
- on both sides
- amphipathic
- Containing both polar and nonpolar domains.
- amphoteric
- Capable of donating and accepting protons, thus able to
serve as an acid or a base.
- amu
- atomic mass unit. By definition, 1/12 the mass of
a carbon-12 atom.
- amylo
- starch
- analytical chemistry
- The branch of chemistry involved with the measurement of
molecules without any particular regard to what the molecule
is.
- anhydride
- The product of the condensation of two carboxyl or phosphate
groups in which the elements of water are eliminated to form
a compound with the general structure
where X is either carbon or phosphorus.
- anode
- A positively charged electrode.
- anion
- A negatively charged ion.
- ante-
- before, forwards
- anti-
- against, opposite
- antibiotic
- One of many different organic compounds that are formed
and secreted by various species of microorganisms and plants,
are toxic to other species, and presumably have a defensive
function.
- antibody
- A defense protein synthesized by the immune system of vertebrates.
q.v. immunoglobulin.
- applied research
- asking how we can use basic knowledge to “build a better
mousetrap.”
- Arrhenius acid a substance which ionizes in aqueous
solution to yield hydrogen ions (H+)
- Arrhenius base
- a substance which ionizes in aqueous solution to yield
hydroxide ions (OH-)
- arthro
- joint
- -ase
- enzyme
- asymmetric carbon atom
- A carbon atom that is covalently bonded to four different
groups and thus may exist in two different tetrahedral configurations.
- -ate
- negatively charged acid, do
- atom
- The smallest particle of an element which retains the properties
of that element; composed of protons, neutrons and electrons.
- atomic mass
- The mass of a single atom.
- atomic mass unit
- (amu) By definition, 1/12 the mass of a carbon-12 atom.
- atomic number
- The number of protons in an atom.
- atomic weight
- The average mass of an element, taking into account the
relative abundance of isotopes.
- Avogadro's law
- At the same temperature and pressure, equal number of molecules
of a gas occupy the same volume (1 mol = 22.4 L).
- Avogadro's number
- (N) The number of molecules in one mole of any compound
(6.02 x 1023).
A B
CDE F
GHI J
KLM N
OPQ R
STU V
WXY Z
- base, Arrhenius
- a substance which ionizes in aqueous solution to yield
hydroxide ions (OH-)
- base, Lewis
- a substance which acts as an electron pair acceptor
- base, Bronsted-Lowry
- a substance which acts as a proton (H+) acceptor
- base-ionization constant, Kb
- The degree to which a base ionizes; Ka = [X+][OH-] ------
[XOH]
- basic oxide
- An oxide that reacts with water to produce a base.
Metal oxides are basic, e.g. MgO + H2OMg(OH)2
- basic research
- Asking questions with the goal of obtaining knowledge.
- basic solution
- A solution that has a higher concentration of hydroxide
ions that hydrogen ions; a pH between 7 and 14.
- bio-
- life
- biochemistry
- "The chemistry of life" Study of the structure and
properties of molecules in living organisms and how those
molecules are made, changed, and broken down.
- bi(s)-
- twice, double
- boiling
- When a liquid is in equilibrium with its gas.
- boiling point
- The temperature at which matter is converted from the liquid
state to the gaseous state.
- bond energy
- The energy required to break a bond.
- Bronsted-Lowry acid a substance which acts as a
proton (H+) donor
- Bronsted-Lowry base
- a substance which acts as a proton (H+) acceptor
- Boyle's Law
- At constant temperature, the volume of a fixed amount of
gas is inversely proportional to pressure.
- buffer
- A system capable of resisting changes in pH even when acid
or base is added, consisting of a conjugate acid-base pair
in which the ratio of proton acceptor to proton donor is near
unity.
- buret
- An apparatus used to add controlled amount of precisely
measured solution.
A B CDE
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- calorie
- The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of
1.0 g of water from 14.5 to 15.5 oC. One calorie
(cal) equals 4.18 joules (J).
- Calorie
- 1000 cal or 1 kcal. Also referred to as a dietary
calorie.
- calorimeter
- An apparatus used to measure the amount of energy evolved
or absorbed in a chemical or physical process.
- cata-
- down
- catalyst
- Something that speeds up a reaction without being changed
in the reaction. Catalysts have no effect on equilibrium.
- cathode
- A negatively charged electrode.
- cation
- A positively charged ion.
- Charles' Law
- At constant pressure, the volume of a fixed amount of gas
is directly proportional to temperature.
- chemical change
- A rearrangement of the atomic array of matter which results
in a change of physical properties.
- chemical equation
- A symbolic representation of what happens when chemicals
come in contact with one another. A balanced chemical
equation tells us how many of what molecules react, how many
of what molecules result, and sometimes the state of the substances.
For example, rxn.gif
- chemistry
- Study of the structure, properties, and changes of matter.
- chiral compound
- A compound that contains an asymmetric center (chiral atom
or chiral center) and thus can occur in two nonsuperimposable
mirror-image forms (enantiomers).
- -cide
- kill
- circum-
- around
- cis and trans isomers
- Isomers related by rotation about a double bond.
- -c(o)ele
- cavity, hollow
- coligative properties
-
- Properties which affect a solvent based on the number of
molecules of solute present: Melting point, boiling point
and osmotic pressure.
- colloid
- Not a true solution. The solute exists as large suspended
particles.
- combined gas law
- A combination of Boyle's, Charles' and Gay-Lussac laws
interrelating temperature, volume and pressure
P1V1 P2V2
-
----- = -------
-
T1 T2
- combustion
- Burning a molecule in air.
- compound
- A pure substance composed of more than one element.
- concentration
- A way of expressing the amount of solute dissolved in a
solvent. Various units including molarity (M), normality (N)
and parts per million (ppm).
- condensation
- The conversion of a gas to a liquid.
- condensed formula
- A formula used for large molecules, helps to show atoms
in relation to each other without showing the bonds, e.g.
CH3CH2CH2CH2CH3
- con-
- together
- configuration
- The spatial arrangement of an organic molecule that is
conferred by the presence of either (1) double bond-about
which there is no freedom of rotation, or (2) chiral centers,
around which substituent groups are arranged in a specific
sequence. Configurational isomers cannot be interconverted
without breaking one or more covalent bonds.
- conformation
- The spatial arrangement of substituent groups that are
free to assume different positions in space, without breaking
any bonds, because of the freedom of bond rotation.
- conjugate acid-base pair
- A proton donor and its corresponding deprotonated species;
for example, acetic acid (donor) and acetate (acceptor).
- conjugate redox pair
- An electron donor and its corresponding electron acceptor
form; for example, Cu+ (donor) and Cu2+
(acceptor), or NADH (donor) and NAD+ (acceptor).
- contra-
- against
- coordinate covalent bond
- A bond in which one atom donates both electrons.
For example,
- cyte-
- cell
- covalent bond
- A chemical bond that involves sharing of electron pairs.
A B CDE
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- dalton
- The weight of a single hydrogen atom (1.66 x 1024
g).
- data
- Recorded observations from experiments.
- de-
- from, away from, down from
- deca-
- ten
- density
- Mass per unit volume, density = mass/volume.
- development
- An extension of applied research in which knowledge is
applied to producing something for wide use
- di(s)-
- two
- dia-
- through, complete
- dialysis
- Removal of small molecules from a solution of a macromolecule,
by allowing them to diffuse through a semipermeable membrane
into water or buffer.
- diffusion
- The net movement of molecules in the direction of lower
concentration.
- dilution
- Reducing the concentration of a solution by adding solvent.
- diplo-
- double
- dipole
- A molecule having both partial positive (d+)
and partial negative (d+)
charges.
- dipole-dipole interaction
- A weak intermolecular force of attraction between a partial
positive (d+) charge
on one particle and a partial negative (d+)
charge on a second particle.
- diprotic acid
- An acid having two dissociable protons.
- dissociation constant
- (1) An equilibrium constant (Kd) for the dissociation of
a complex of two or more biomolecules into its components;
for example, dissociation of a substrate from an enzyme. (2)
The dissociation constant of an acid (Ka); or base (Kb), describing
its dissociation into its conjugate base and a proton; or
conjugate acid and a hydroxide ion.
- dolicho-
- long
- double bond
- The sharing of four electrons between two atoms.
- dur-
- hard, firm
- dys-
- bad, abnormal
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- e-, ec-
- out, from out of
- Eo'
- The electromotive force exhibited at an electrode by 1
M concentrations of a reducing agent and its oxidized form
at 25 oC and pH 7.0; a measure of the relative
tendency of the reducing agent to lose electrons.
- ecto-
- outside, external
- -ectomy
- removal of, cut out
- effusion
- The movement of a gas through a small opening from a region
of high concentration to a region of low concentration.
- electrolyte
- A particle which conducts electricity in solution.
- electron
- A negatively charged subatomic particle with a mass of
0.0055 (aka 0) atomic mass units.
- electron acceptor
- A substance that receives electrons in an oxidation-reduction
reaction.
- electron configuration
- Electrons are arranged into shells and subshells from low
to high energy. One way of representing this (using
oxygen as an example) is 1s22s22p4.
Another representation is to use an arror for each electron
such as
- electron donor
- A substance that donates electrons in an oxidation-reduction
reaction.
- electronegativity
- How strongly an atom pulls on another atoms electrons.
The periodic trend for electronegativity increases up and
right on the periodic table, with F having the highest electronegativity
of all.
- electron pair geometry
- The geometry of where electrons are in relation to a central
atom. Electron pairs in four locations will repel and
end up 109.5o apart, three locations 120o,
two locations 180o and one location no separation
of electrons.
- electron transfer
- Movement of electrons from substrates to oxygen via the
carriers of the respiratory (electron transfer) chain.
- element
- A pure substance composed of only one type of atom.
- em-
- in
- en-
- into
- endergonic reaction
- A chemical reaction that consumes energy (that is, for
which DG is positive).
- energy
- The ability to do work
- endo-
- into
- endothermic reaction
- A chemical reaction that takes up heat (that is, for which
DH is positive).
- ent-
- within
- enthalpy (H)
- The heat content of a system.
- enthalpy change (DH)
- For a reaction, is approximately equal to the difference
between the energy used to break bonds and the energy gained
by the formation of new ones.
- entropy (S)
- The extent of randomness or disorder in a system.
- epi-
- on, up, against, high
- equilibrium
- The state of a system in which no further net change is
occurring; the free energy is at a minimum.
- equilibrium constant (Keq)
- A constant, characteristic for each chemical reaction;
relates the specific concentrations of all reactants and products
at equilibrium at a given temperature and pressure.
- equivalence point
- The point at which equal quantities of opposite solutions
exist to cancel each other out. For example 0.05 mol HCl and
0.05 mol NaOH.
- equivalent
- 1 mol of particles
- equivalent weight
- Molar mass divided by equivalents per mole. Used to determine
the normality of solutions.
- eu-
- true
- ex-, exo-
- out, from out of
- exact numbers
- Numbers which are not measurements and therefore not estimated.
For example, there are exactly 12 eggs in a dozen.
- exergonic reaction
- A chemical reaction that proceeds with the release of free
energy (that is, for which DG is
negative).
- exothermic reaction
- A chemical reaction that releases heat (that is, for which
DH is negative).
- extra-
- outside, beyond, in addition
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- fatty acid
- A long-chain aliphatic carboxylic acid found in natural
fats and oils; also a component of membrane phospholipids
and glycolipids.
- first law of thermodynamics
- The law stating that in all processes, the total energy
of the universe remains constant.
- fluorescence
- Emission of light by excited molecules as they revert to
the ground state.
- -form
- shaped like
- formula unit
- The simplest whole-number ratio which will describe an
ionic crystal lattice.
- free energy (G)
- The component of the total energy of a system that can
do work at constant temperature and pressure.
- free energy of activation (DG*)
- See activation energy.
- free-energy change (DG)
- The amount of free energy released (negative DG)
or absorbed (positive DG) in a
reaction at constant temperature and pressure.
- free radical
- See radical.
- freezing
- The conversion of a liquid to a solid.
- functional group
- The specific atom or group of atoms that confers a particular
chemical property on a biomolecule.
- furanose
- A simple sugar containing the five-membered furan ring.
- DGo'
- See standard free-energy change.
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- Gay-Lussac's Law
- At constant volume, the pressure of a fixed amount of gas
is directly proportional to temperature.
- Grahm's Law
- The diffusion of two gasses is inversely proportional to
the ratio of their molecular weights;
 .
- gram molecular weight
- The weight in grams of a compound that is numerically equal
to its molecular weight; the weight of 1 mole.
- ground state
- The normal, stable form of an atom or molecule; as distinct
from the excited state.
- group
- A set of elements comprising a vertical colum of the periodic
table.
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- half-life
- The time required for the disappearance or decay of one-half
of a given component in a system.
- halogen
- Elements which are members of group VIIA as used in this
course. The halogens are F, Cl, Br, I and At.
- haplo-
- single
- haploid
- Having a single set of genetic information; describing
a cell with one chromosome of each type.
- hapto-
- bind to
- heat
- Energy traveling from a warmer to a cooler object.
- heat of fusion
- The energy required to convert a solid to a liquid.
- heat of reaction
- The amount of energy gained or lost in a chemical reaction.
- heat of vaporization
- The energy required to convert a liquid to a gas.
- Henderson-Hasselbalch equation
- An equation relating the pH, the pKa, and the ratio of
the concentrations of the proton-acceptor (A-) and proton-donor
(HA) species in a solution.
- heterogenous matter
- Matter which is not uniform in appearance or composition.
- hepat
- liver
- hept-
- seven
- hetero-
- different
- heterogenous matter
- Matter in which samples taken are not uniform in substance
or composition
- hex-
- six
- homo-
- same
- hormone
- A chemical substance synthesized in small amounts by an
endocrine tissue and carried in the blood to another tissue,
where it acts as a messenger to regulate the function of the
target tissue or organ.
- homogenous matter
- Matter which is uniform in appearance and composition throughout.
- hydrogen bond
- A weak electrostatic attraction between one electronegative
atom (O, F, or N) and a hydrogen atom covalently linked to
a second O, N or F atom.
- hydrolysis
- Cleavage of a bond, such as an anhydride or peptide bond,
by the addition of the elements of water, yielding two or
more products.
- hydronium ion
- The ion H3O+, sometimes referred
to as hydrated hydrogen.
- hydrophilic
- Polar or charged; describing molecules or groups that associate
with (dissolve easily in) water.
- hydrophobic
- Nonpolar; describing molecules or groups that are insoluble
in water.
- hyper-
- above, excessive
- hypertonic solution
- A solution which contains more dissolved particles than
cellular content.
- hypo-
- below, deficient
- hypothesis
- “Educated Guess” concerning how or why a
phenomenon occurs.
- hyptononic solution
- A solution which contains less dissolved salt than cellular
content.
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- -ia
- got
- -iasis
- full of
- ideal gas law
- aka universal gas law. PV=nRT where P=pressure; V=volume;
n=number of moles of gas; R=gas constant, 0.0821 L atm/mol
K; and T=temperature in Kelvins.
- -ile
- little version
- -illa
- little version
- -illus
- little version
- im-, in-
- not
- -in
- stuff
- inorganic chemistry
- The branch of chemistry dealing with elements other than
carbon.
- in vitro "In glass"; that is, in the test
tube.
- in vivo "In life"; that is, in the living
cell or organism.
- infra-
- below, underneath
- inter-
- among, between
- intro-
- inward, during
- ion
- A particle which has become charged by gaining or losing
an electron; either a cation (+ charged ion) or an anion (-
charged ion).
- ionic bond
- An electrostatic interaction between a cation (+ charged
ion) and an anion (- charged ion).
- ionic compound
- A compound which is held together by ionic bonds; composed
of one or more cations (+ charged ions) and one or more anions
(- charged ions).
- ionization energy
- The amount ofenergy required to remove an electron from
an atom, forming a cation.
- ion product of water (Kw)
- The product of the concentrations of H+ and
OH-. For pure water Kw = [H+][OH-]
= 1 x 10-14 at 25 oC.
- ionizing radiation
- A type of radiation such as x rays, that causes loss of
electrons from some organic molecules, thus making them more
reactive.
- -ism
- theory, characteristic of
- iso-
- equal, same
- isomers
- Any two molecules with the same molecular formula but a
different arrangement of molecular groups.
- isotonic solution
- A solution which contains the same amount of dissolved
salt than cellular content.
- isotopes
- Atoms which have the same number of protons but differ
in the number of neutrons.
- -itis
- inflammation
- -ity
- makes a noun of quality
- -ium
- thing
- -ize
- do
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joule
- The SI unit of energy.
- juxta-
- adjacent to
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- kinetic energy
- Energy which results from a particle being in motion.
- kinetic molecular theory (KMT)
- A theory used to explain the motion and closeness of particles
to one another; used to explain states of matter.
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- lanthanides
- A member of the group following lanthanum in the periodic
table, and set below the main body of the periodic table;
elements 58-71.
- law
- A law is a universally accepted explanation of what
happens.
- law of conservation of mass
- The law stating that in a chemical reaction, matter is
neither gained nor lost.
- law of definite proportions
- The law stating that a pure substance, e.g. H2O,
will always have the same percent by weight, e.g. 11.2% H
and 88.8% O.
- law of mass action
- The law stating that the rate of any given chemical reaction
is proportional to the product of the activities (or concentrations)
of the reactants.
- law of multiple proportions
- A law proposed by Dalton which states that when elements
combine, they do so in the ratio of small whole numbers.
For example carbon and oxygen react to form CO or CO2,
but not CO1.8.
- law of partial pressures
- The law stating that the total pressure exerted by a mixture
of gasses is the sum of the pressures exerted by each of the
individual gasses.
- Le Chatlier's principle
- In a reaction at equilibrium, stress added to the system
changes the rate of reaction. Adding more reactant will cause
the conversion to product to increase and vice versa. Eventually
the same equilibrium is reattained.
- Lewis acid a substance which acts as an electron
pair donor
- Lewis base
- a substance which acts as an electron pair acceptor
- Lewis dot structure
- A way of representing atoms or molecules by showing electrons
as dots surrounding the element symbol. One bond is
represented as two electrons.
- limiting reagent
- The reactant that, in a reaction, will be depleted first;
the lesser number of moles.
- lipid
- A small water-insoluble biomolecule generally containing
fatty acids, sterols, or isoprenoid compounds.
- -logy
- study of, reasoning about
- London force
- The weakest of the imtermolecular forces, also called Van
der Waals dispersion forces. Present on all particles
and increasing strength with increasing size. Results
from the fact that a preponderance of electrons can end up
on one side of an atom.
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- macro-
- large
- mass
- The amount of matter in an object.
- mass number
- The mass of a single atom of an element. For example
an atom of carbon-12 has a mass number of 12 amu.
- matter
- Anything that has mass and occupies space.
- medi-
- middle
- medulla
- soft inner part
- mega-
- large
- megalo-
- very large
- melting
- The process of going from a solid state to the liquid state.
- melting point
- The temperature at which matter is converted from the solid
state to the liquid state.
- meniscus
- A concave surface of a liquid resulting from surface tension.
The bottom of the meniscus is used to measure the volume of
a liquid in apparatus such as a graduated cylinder.
- meso-
- middle
- meta-
- beyond, between
- metal
- An element which has the properties of malleability, ductility,
conductivity and luster. Located down and to the left
of a stair-step line from boron to astatine.
- metallic bond
- A bond bewteen two or more metallic elements; based on
the property of metals to give up electrons.
- metaloid
- An element which is intermediate of metals and nonmetals
in terms of malleability, ductility, conductivity and luster.
Located around the stair-step line from boron to astatine.
- micro-
- small
- miscibility
- The ability to mix in all proportions.
- mass-action ratio
- For the reaction aA +bB
cC + dD, the ratio[A]a [B]b/[C]c
[D]d
- -megaly
- large
- micelle
- An aggregate of amphipathic molecules in water, with the
nonpolar portions in the interior and the polar portions at
the exterior surface, exposed to water.
- mixture
- Two or more different particles combined with one another.
- molar mass
- One mass of one mole of a substance. For example,
water is 18.0 g/mol (rounding to a decimal place).
- molar solution
- One mole of solute dissolved in water to give a total volume
of 1,000 mL.
- molarity
- A unit of concentration expressing the number of moles
of solute dissolved per liter of solvent.
- mole
- One gram molecular weight of a compound, or 6.02 X 1023
molecules.
- molecule
- A pure substance which results when two or more atoms of
a single element share electrons, for example O2.
In this course we use the term more loosely, using it also
to refer to compound, which is a combination of two or more
atoms of two or more different elements, for example H2O.
- molecular formula
- A formula in which only the elements and number of atoms
of each element are shown, e.g. C5H12
- molecular geometry
- The geometry of where atoms are in relation to a central
atom, taking into account lone pairs of electrons. Possible
arrangements are tetrahedral (4 atoms), pyramidal (3 atoms
one lone pair), bent or angular (2 atoms and 2 lone pairs)
and linear (one atom and 3 lone pairs); if electron pairs
are in three locations triangular molecules result; two locations
of electrons with atoms in both places are linear molecules.
- monoprotic acid
- An acid having only one dissociable proton.
- mutation
- An inheritable change in the nucleotide sequence of a chromosome.
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- neo-
- new
- neutralization
- A reaction between acid and base which neutralizes both
and results in the formation of water plus a salt.
- neutron
- A neutrally charged (uncharged) subatomic particle with
a mass of 1 amu.
- nitrogen fixation
- Conversion of atmospheric nitrogen (N2) into
a reduced, biologically available form by nitrogen-fixing
organisms.
- nitrogenase complex
- A system of enzymes capable of reducing atmospheric nitrogen
N2 nitrogen to ammonia in the presence of ATP.
- -noid
- mind, spirit
- non-
- not
- noble gas
- Elements which are members of group VIIIA as used in this
course. The noble gasses are He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe and
Rn.
- nonmetal
- An element which is dull-colored, brittle and nonconductive.
Located up and to the right of a stair-step line from boron
to astatine.
- nonpolar covalent bond
- A bond in which electrons are shared between elements having
a difference in electronegativity of less than 0.5.
- nonpolar molecule
- Hydrophobic; describing molecules or groups that are poorly
soluble in water. These molecules would be composed
either of elements having nonpolar covalent bonds or polar
covalent bonds that cancel each other out.
- normality
- A unit of concentration expressed as equivalents per liter.
- nucleus
- The center portion of an atom which contains the protons
and neutrons.
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- ob-
- before, against
- octa-
- eight
- octet rule
- Atoms will lose, gain or share electrons to achieve the
electron configuration of the nearest noble gas (8 valence
electrons except for He with 2).
- octo-
- eight
- -ogen
- precursor
- -oid
- resembling, image of
- -ol(e)
- alcohol
- -ole
- little version(usually)
- oligo-
- few
- -oma
- tumor
- organic chemistry
- The branch of chemistry dealing with carbon-based molecules.
- -osis
- full of
- osmosis
- Bulk flow of water through a semipermeable membrane into
another aqueous compartment containing solute at a higher
concentration.
- osmotic pressure
- Pressure generated by the osmotic flow of water through
a semi-permeable membrane into an aqueous compartment containing
solute at a higher concentration.
- -ostomy
- "mouth-cut"
- oxidation
- The loss of electrons.
- Oxidation State
- The charge that develops on an atom due to loss or gain
of e—.
- oxidation-reduction reaction (redox reaction)
- A reaction in which electrons are transferred from a donor
(the reducing agent) to an acceptor molecule (the oxidizing
agent).
- oxidizing agent
- The acceptor of electrons in an oxidation-reduction reaction.
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- p-electron
- An electron occupying an hourglass-shaped space about the
nucleus of an atom. A p-electron is a higher-energy
electron than an s-electron and lower energy than d- or f-electrons.
- part per million (ppm)
- The number of grams solute per million grams of solvent.
A measure used to measure very small quantities
- particle
- A generic term meaning atom, ion, compound, etc.
- -pathy
- disease of, suffering
- -penia
- lack
- pent-
- five
- -pexy
- fix in place
- peptide bond
- A substituted amide linkage between the alpha-amino group
of one amino acid and the alpha-carboxyl group of another,
with the elimination of the elements of water.
- per-
- by, through, throughout
- percent concentration
- 1. g of solute per 100 mL solution (w/v). 2. mL of solute
per 100 mL solution (v/v). 3. g of solute per 100 g solution
(w/w).
- percent error
- A measure of how innaccurate a measurement is, standardized
to how large the measurement is. Found by the formula
(measured value-actual value)/actual value*100%
- percent yield
- actual yield-theoretical yield
- ---------------------------- x 100%.
- theoretical
yield
- peri-
- around, round-about
- period
- A set of elements comprising a horizontal row of the periodic
table.
- periodic law
- When arranged according to atomic number, elements
show repeating, or periodic trends in their chemical and physical
properties.
- pH
- The negative logarithm of the hydrogen ion concentration
in an aqueous solution.
- pKa
- (pK for short). The negative logarithm of the acid dissociation
constant, Ka.
- -philia
- affection for
- photon
- The ultimate unit (a quantum) of light energy.
- physical change
- A change in matter which does not alter the chemical properties
of the matter. For example, if we carve a piece of wood
into a baseball bat, it will still burn in a fire and float
on water.
- physical chemistry
- "The physics of chemistry" A branch of chemistry which
is interested in things such as, how much pressure would have
to be placed on a solid to convert it to a liquid.
- pK
- The negative logarithm of an equilibrium constant.
- -plasty
- re-shaping
- pleo-
- more than usual
- polar covalent bond
- A bond in which electrons are shared between elements having
a difference in electronegativity of between 0.5 and ~2.0.
- polar molecule
- Hydrophilic, or "water-loving"; describing molecules or
groups that are soluble in water. These molecules would
be composed of elements having polar covalent bonds that do
not cancel each other out.
- poly
- many
- polyatomic ion
- An ion which is composed of two or more atoms, for example
NO3-.
- post-
- behind, after
- potential energy
- Energy stored in chemical bonds.
- pre-
- before, in front
- precipitate
- An insoluble product of a chemical reation.
- precision
- How reproducible a measurement is. (If we repeatedly
measure something, do we come up with the same value each
time?)
- product
- A molecule which is formed as a result of a chemical reaction.
- protein
- A macromolecule composed of one or more polypeptide chains,
each with a characteristic sequence of amino acids linked
by peptide bonds.
- proton
- A positively charged subatomic particle with a mass of
1 amu
- proton acceptor
- An anionic compound capable of accepting a proton from
a proton donor; that is, a Bronsted-Lowry base.
- proton donor
- The donor of a proton in an acid-base reaction; that is,
a Bronsted-Lowry acid.
- prox-
- besides
- pseudo-
- false
- pure substance
- Matter which is uniform and has a fixed composition.
For example, if we have 100 particles of something, all 100
would be identical.
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- R group
- (1) Formally, an abbreviation denoting any alkyl group.
(2) Occasionally, used in a more general sense to denote virtually
any organic substituent (the R groups of amino acids, for
example).
- radical
- An atom or group of atoms possessing an unpaired electron;
also called a free radical.
- radioactive isotope
- An isotopic form of an element with an unstable nucleus
that stabilizes itself by emitting ionizing radiation.
- re, red-
- back, again
- reactant
- A molecule which enters into a chemical reaction.
- reaction rate
- The amount of reactant converted to product in a set period
of time.
- redox pair
- An electron donor and its corresponding oxidized form;
for example, NADH and NAD+.
- redox reaction
- See oxidation-reduction reaction.
- reducing agent (reductant)
- The electron donor in an oxidation-reduction reaction.
- reduction
- The gain of electrons by a compound or ion.
- research
- Investigation into how things work and how they can be
manipulated. See also basic research and applied research.
- retro-
- backwards, behind
- -rhage
- burst out
- -rhea
- discharge, flowing out
- -rhexis
- shredding
- risk assessment
- A thoughtful and rational consideration of the risks and
benefits of anything- use of a chemical, driving drunk, etc.
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- s-electron
- An electron occupying a spherical space about the nucleus
of an atom. An s-electron is the lowest energy of any
of the electrons.
- saturated solution
- A solution in which the maximum amount of solvent has been
dissolved. Any more solute added will sit as crystals on the
bottom of the container.
- science
- Study of nature, trying to understand how and why things
work, using logic and experimentation.
- second law of thermodynamics
- The law stating that in any chemical or physical process,
the entropy of the universe tends to increase.
- semi-
- half
- semiconductor
- A substance which is intermediate between a conductor and
an insulator.
- sex-
- six
- sept-
- seven
- single bond
- The sharing of two electrons between two atoms.
- solute
- In a solution, the part(s) present in lower mol quantities.
- solution
- A homogenous mixture of one or more solutes dissolved in
a solvent.
- solvent
- In a solution, the part present in greatest mol quantity.
- state
- The form that a collection of matter exists in, the three
forms being solid, liquid and gas.
- strong acid
- An acid which dissociates completely in aqueous solution:
HCl, HNO3 and H2SO4
- strong base
- A base which dissociates completely in aqueous solution.
- subatomic particle
- A part the makes up the whole of an atom: the proton, the
neutron and the electron.
- surface tension
- An increased attraction of molecules at the surface of
a liquid resulting from forces of attraction on fewer sides
of the molecules.
- suspension
- A situation in which, if we stop stirring, particles settle
out of the mixture.
- specific gravity
- The density of substance x/density of water, numerically
equal to density but dimensionless (assuming the density of
water used is 1.00 g/mL).
- specific heat
- The amount of energy (in joules or calories) needed to
raise the temperature of 1 g of a pure substance by 1oC.
- standard free-energy change (DGo)
- The free-energy change for a reaction occurring under a
set of standard conditions: temperature, 298 K; pressure,
1 atm or 101.3 kPa; and all solutes at 1 M concentration.
deltaGo' denotes the standard free-energy change
at pH 7.0.
- standard reduction potential (DEo')
- The electromotive force exhibited at an electrode by 1
M concentrations of a reducing agent and its oxidized form
at 25 oC and pH 7.0; a measure of the relative
tendency of the reducing agent to lose electrons.
- standard temperature and pressure (STP)
- Standare temperature is 0oC or 273 K and standard
pressure is 1 atmosphere.
- steady state
- A nonequilibrium state of a system through which matter
is flowing and in which all components remain at a constant
concentration.
- stereoisomers
- Compounds that have the same composition and the same order
of atomic connections, but different molecular arrangements.
- stoichimetry
- A ratio of different molecules in a reaction.
- structural formula
- A formula in which atoms are shown in relation to each
other, and bonds are shown, e.g.
- solution
- A uniform mixture of two or more pure substances.
- sub-
- under, beneath
- subatomic particle
- One of the pieces which makes up an atom: proton,
neutron or electron.
- sublimation
- The process of convertion from the solid state directly
to the gaseous state, without passing through the liquid state.
- super-
- above, in addition, over
- supra-
- above, on the upper side
- surface tension
- The amount of energy required to overcome the attraction
of molecules of a liquid for one another at the surface of
the liquid.
- syn-
- together, with
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- temperature
- A measurement of the average kinetic energy in a sample
(how fast molecules are vibrating).
- tetra-
- four
- theory
- A hypothesis becomes theory by becoming “widely” accepted
because of testing. It is a proposed explanation for
how or why something happens and generally cannot
be proven.
- thio-
- sulfur
- titration
- A procedure for reacting two solutions by controlled addition
of one to the other via a burette. In the procedure, some
indicator must be used to locate the equivalence point. As
one example, the addition of acid to base using phenolphthalein
to turn a pink solution colorless in order to determine the
concentration of unknown acids and bases.
- titration curve
- A plot of the pH versus the equivalents of base added during
titration of an acid.
- -tomy
- cut
- trace element
- A chemical element required by an organism in only trace
amounts.
- trans-
- across, beyond
- transition element
- An element which lies between groups IIA and IIIA as used
in this class.
- transition state
- An activated form of a molecule in which the molecule has
undergone a partial chemical reaction; the highest point on
the reaction coordinate.
- transuranium element
- Any element with an atomic number greater than 92. All
transuranium elements have been artificially created.
- tri-
- three
- triple bond
- Three pairs of electrons shared between two atoms
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- ultra-
- beyond, besides, over
- ultraviolet (UV) radiation
- Electromagnetic radiation in the region of 200 to 400 nm.
- unfavorable reaction
- An endergonic reaction, continues only with continued input
of energy.
- uni-
- one
- universal gas law
- AKA ideal gas law, PV=nRT.
- unsaturated hydrocarbon
- A hydrocarbon molecule containing one or more double or
triple bonds, and can thus absorb more hydrogen atoms.
- unsaturated solution
- A solution in which more solute can be dissolved
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- valence electrons
- Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom, no matter
what principle energy level.
- Valence-Shell Electron-Pair Repulsion (VSEPR) Theory
- A model used to predict the shape of a molecule, based
on the assumption that all negatively charged valence electrons
repel each other.
- vaporization
- The conversion of a liquid to a gas.
- vapor pressure
- The pressure that develops in a closed container after
a liquid reaches equilibrium with gas.
- variable
- Some factor that will affect the outcome of an experiment.
- vitamin
- An organic substance required in small quantities in the
diet of some organisms, essential for life but which the organism
cannot synthesize; generally functions as a component of a
coenzyme.
- volume
- The amount of space matter occupies.
- volatile
- The term given to a substance that is easily converted
to the gas state.
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- watt
- One joule per second
- weak acid
- An acid that only partially ionizes in aqueous solution.
Put another way, it has a small Keq
- weak base
- A base that only partially ionizes in aqueous solution
(has a small Keq)
- weak electrolyte
- A substance that only partially ionizes in aqueous solution
- weight
- The amount of matter in an object, influenced by gravity.
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- zwitterion
- An ionic molecule with separate positive and negative charges,
resulting in a net charge of zero.
Last Modified September 5, 2005
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