chemistry
absolute zero the lowest temperature theoretically possible, -273.15°C or -459.67°F, in which no heat or motion can exist.
absorption the taking in or soaking up of a gas or liquid, by a liquid or a solid.
accelerator a catalyst that starts or speeds up a chemical reaction without itself being changed.
acid a corrosive compound having a pH less than 7.0 and a hydrogen ion activity greater than water.
activator any substance having the ability to increase the action of a catalyst.
additive a substance combined with another to alter its form, consistency, properties, etc.
adsorption the attachment of a layer of gas, liquid, or solid onto the surface of another substance without being absorbed.
alkali an ionic salt of an alkali metal or alkaline earth metal element.
alloy a metal containing two or more elements.
amphoteric capable of reacting as either an acid or a base.
anion a negatively charged atom or atom grouping.
anticatalyst a substance that stops or slows a chemical reaction, especially by weakening the action of a catalyst.
atmosphere a measure of air pressure, specifically 1 atmosphere is equal to that experienced at sea level.
atom the smallest component of an element.
atomic mass the total number of protons and neutrons in an atom's nucleus.
atomic number the total number of protons in an element.
atomic symbol on the periodic table, the symbol that corresponds to each element.
atomize to transform a liquid into a fine spray, mist, or aerosol. Also, to nebulize.
Avogadro's number the number of atoms or molecules in one mole or 6.02 x 1023. Also known as Avogadro constant. See mole.
base the opposite of an acid, a chemical compound with a pH above 7.0; an alkali. Ammonia is a base.
biodegradation the breaking down and transformation of organic substances, usually through the release of enzymes by microorganisms.
buffer solution a solution added to a mixture to maintain pH at a constant level, used in fermentation and other processes.
catalysis through the use of a catalyst, the speeding up of a chemical reaction.
catalyst any substance used to start or speed up a chemical reaction.
cation an atom or atom grouping with a positive charge.
chain reaction a series of chemical reactions, with each change setting up the necessary products for the next.
charcoal a porous substance made from wood, bone, or coconut, used to absorb gases and liquids.
chelation the removal of metal ions from a solution, used in medicine to treat lead or mercury poisoning.
chemist one who studies and works with chemicals to create useful compounds and mixtures, to determine the chemical makeup of materials, or to perform medical testing and research.
chemoluminescence a glow or giving off of light, produced by a chemical reaction.
chromatography originally named for the process of separating pigments, now encompassing the separation of any mixture, specifically by passing it through another material, with some components naturally sticking to the material better than others.
cleavage the breaking up of chemical bonds into smaller molecules.
closed chain in a molecule, a string of atoms that forms a loop or ring.
colloid a mixture that appears homogeneous but contains components that have incompletely dissolved. Aerosols, foams, and emulsions are all colloids.
compound any mixture of two or more elements.
concentration an increase in density or strength, achieved by removing water, impurities, or other substances. Also, the volume of a substance within a mixture of others.
condensation the changing of a gas into a liquid.
conductor any material that allows an electrical current to pass through it.
decompensation reaction the breaking down of large molecules into smaller ones.
deposition the process through which a gas turns into a solid without forming into a liquid first.
dilution the thinning of a concentrated liquid by adding another liquid or a solvent.
distill to separate components in a mixture by heating them.
electrochemistry a branch of chemistry involving the study of chemical reactions with voltage applied, or the creation of voltage throughout chemical reactions themselves.
electrolysis forcing an electrical current through a cell to produce an electrochemical reaction.
electrolyte any compound that when dissolved in water can conduct electricity.
element any pure substance that cannot be broken down into any other component elements.
emulsion any blend of two liquids that cannot be mixed, such as oil and water, and will eventually separate.
equilibrium in a chemical substance, a state of stability, when no further reactions or changes can take place.
exothermic referring to any reaction that creates heat.
extraction the separation of compounds in a mixture by the addition of a solvent and then subjecting it to shaking.
formula the constituent elements in a molecular compound, written out as a set of symbols and numbers.
half-life the amount of time it takes to break down half of a chemical component or to convert it into another product.
heterogeneous referring to a mixture with two or more separate components that are unevenly mixed.
homogeneous referring to any mixture that has been thoroughly blended and has a uniform composition.
imbibition the absorbing of a liquid by a solid.
immiscible incapable of being mixed or blended, as oil and water.
inert tending to be chemically nonreactive or inactive.
inhibitor any chemical or chemical compound used to slow or stop a reaction.
insulator any material through which electricity is unable to flow.
intermediate any chemical that is temporarily created by a chain reaction and then consumed by that reaction.
kinetics the study of chemical reaction rates.
mass spectrometry the process in which an ionized sample is passed through electric and magnetic fields to determine molecular formulas in a substance.
molarity the number of moles in a dissolved solution, a measure of concentration.
molar mass the weight of one mole of a given compound.
mole a unit of mass equaling 602 billion trillion atoms or molecules, or 6.02 x 1023. Also known as Avogadro's number.
molecule a group of bound atoms.
monomer a small or simple molecule that may bond with other monomers to form a polymer. Amino acids are monomers that bond with others to form proteins.
orbital the space around the nucleus of an atom where electrons can be found.