Some chemistry Definitions
1. Amphoteric Oxide – An oxide that reacts with acids and alkalis to form salts.
2. Base – Metal Oxide or Hydroxide
3. Catalyst – A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction, but
remains unchanged at the end of reaction.
4. Condensation Reaction – Organic molecules join to produce bigger
molecules, losing a small molecule; water
5. Cracking – A reaction in which big hydrogen molecules are broken into
smaller molecules by heat.
6. Empirical Formula – the simplest formula of a compound which shows the
ratio between the atoms of each element.
7. Endothermic – Take in heat, Take in Energy, To break bonds! (Test tube
turns hot)
8. Exothermic – Release heat, releases energy, For bond-forming! (Test tube
turns cold)
9. Homologous Series – A set of organic compounds in which the formula of
each one differs from the previous one by an extra –CH2- group of atoms.
10. Macromolecule – A large molecule containing large no. of atoms joined
together.
11. Monomer – A small molecule which can join together in large numbers to
form on big molecule.
12. Oxidation state – The charge on an ion.
13. Polymerisation – A reaction in which large numbers of similar small
molecules are joined together to form one big molecule (Polymer)
14. Redox reaction – A reaction in which oxidation & reduction takes place.
15. Relative atomic mass – The mass of an atom of an element compared
with 1/12
th
of the mass of an atom of carbon-12.
16. Relative molecular mass – The mass of a molecule of a substance
compared with 1/12
of the mass of an atom of carbon-12.
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17. Solvent – A liquid used to dissolve a solid. Eg. Ethanol.