Talking about Chemistry: English Vocabulary List

a substance that is dissolved in a solvent, resulting in a solution

"Salt is the solute in saltwater."

"A solute is the substance that is dissolved in a solvent to form a homogeneous mixture"

a substance that takes part in and undergoes a chemical reaction, leading to the formation of new products

"Reactants combine to form products."

"In this experiment, the two primary reactants combine to form a vibrant blue precipitate."

the acceleration or facilitation of a chemical reaction by a substance (catalyst) that remains unchanged at the end of the reaction

"Catalysis speeds up reactions."

"Industrial catalysis helps factories produce chemicals faster and more efficiently."

a chemical bond where atoms share electrons to form a stable molecule

"A covalent bond shares electrons."

"A covalent bond is a strong chemical link between atoms formed by the mutual sharing of one or more electron pairs between their outermost shells."

any of two or more compounds having the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms and, consequently, different properties

"Glucose and fructose are isomers."

"An isomer is a molecule with the identical chemical formula as another but a distinct arrangement of atoms"

a large molecule composed of repeating structural units, or monomers, covalently bonded together in a chain-like structure

"Plastic is a polymer made of many repeating small units linked together."

"A polymer is a large macromolecule composed of many repeating subunits called monomers"

a molecule that can chemically bond with other molecules to form a polymer

"Many monomers join to make a polymer."

"When heated, each monomer connects to others and creates a long chain."

a compound composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms, with the simplest form being alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes

"Gasoline is a hydrocarbon fuel made only from hydrogen and carbon atoms."

"A hydrocarbon is an organic compound consisting entirely of hydrogen and carbon atoms"

a chemical compound derived from the reaction between an alcohol and an organic acid, typically with the elimination of water

"An ester gives fruits their sweet smell."

"An ester is a chemical compound often responsible for the sweet fruity smell of many fruits and flowers."

an organic compound with a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to a hydrogen atom and another carbon atom, commonly found in essential oils and used in various chemical processes

"Formaldehyde is a simple aldehyde."

"Formaldehyde is a common aldehyde used as a preservative and in the production of various plastics and resins."

an organic compound with a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to two carbon atoms, commonly found in solvents, pharmaceuticals, and flavorings

"Acetone is a common ketone."

"A ketone is an organic compound characterized by a carbonyl group flanked by two carbon atoms"

a chemical reaction where electrons are transferred between substances

"Oxidation reduction reactions transfer electrons."

"An oxidation-reduction reaction is a chemical process involving the transfer of electrons between two species"

the concentration of a solute in a solution, measured in moles per liter (mol/L or M)

"Molarity is a way to measure how concentrated a chemical solution is."

"Molarity is a unit of concentration measuring the number of moles of a solute dissolved in exactly one liter of the resulting solution."

a substance that, when dissolved in a solution, produces ions and enables the conduction of electric current

"An electrolyte helps carry electric charge through a liquid or a body."

"An electrolyte is a substance that produces an electrically conducting solution when dissolved in water"

a thermodynamic quantity representing the total heat content of a system, commonly denoted as H

"Enthalpy measures heat in a system."

"Enthalpy is a thermodynamic quantity representing the total internal energy of a system plus the product of its pressure and volume"

a thermodynamic measure of the degree of disorder or randomness in a system, denoted by S

"Entropy measures disorder in a system."

"Entropy is a thermodynamic measure of the degree of disorder or randomness in a system, denoted by S."

a mixture where small particles of one substance are evenly dispersed in another substance, typically intermediate in size between solution and suspension particles

"Milk is an example of a colloid."

"A colloid is a heterogeneous mixture where microscopically dispersed particles of one substance are suspended evenly throughout another substance without settling out."

the gradual destruction of materials by chemical reaction, usually of metals

"Rust is a form of corrosion."

"Corrosion of metal pipes can cause leaks and water damage if not properly treated over time."

any water-soluble compound that can turn litmus blue and reacts with an acid to form a salt and water

"Baking soda is a mild alkali."

"An alkali is a soluble base that releases hydroxide ions in water"