3.4: Key Terms
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- acid
- molecule that donates hydrogen ions and increases the concentration of hydrogen ions in a solution
- adhesion
- attraction between water molecules and other molecules
- anion
- negative ion that is formed by an atom gaining one or more electrons
- base
- molecule that donates hydroxide ions or otherwise binds excess hydrogen ions and decreases the hydrogen ions' concentration in a solution
- buffer
- substance that resists a change in pH by absorbing or releasing hydrogen or hydroxide ions
- capillary action
- occurs because water molecules are attracted to charges on the inner surfaces of narrow tubular structures such as glass tubes, drawing the water molecules to the tubes' sides
- cation
- positive ion that is formed by an atom losing one or more electrons
- cohesion
- intermolecular forces between water molecules caused by the polar nature of water; responsible for surface tension
- dissociation
- release of an ion from a molecule such that the original molecule now consists of an ion and the charged remains of the original, such as when water dissociates into H+ and OH-
- electrolyte
- ion necessary for nerve impulse conduction, muscle contractions, and water balance
- electronegativity
- ability of some elements to attract electrons (often of hydrogen atoms), acquiring partial negative charges in molecules and creating partial positive charges on the hydrogen atoms
- equilibrium
- steady state of relative reactant and product concentration in reversible chemical reactions in a closed system
- evaporation
- change from liquid to gaseous state at a body of water's surface, plant leaves, or an organism's skin
- heat of vaporization of water
- high amount of energy required for liquid water to turn into water vapor
- hydrogen bond
- weak bond between slightly positively charged hydrogen atoms and slightly negatively charged atoms in other molecules
- hydrophilic
- describes ions or polar molecules that interact well with other polar molecules such as water
- hydrophobic
- describes uncharged nonpolar molecules that do not interact well with polar molecules such as water
- ion
- atom or chemical group that does not contain equal numbers of protons and electrons
- ionic bond
- chemical bond that forms between ions with opposite charges (cations and anions)
- litmus paper
- (also, pH paper) filter paper treated with a natural water-soluble dye that changes its color as the pH of the environment changes in order to use it as a pH indicator
- molecule
- two or more atoms chemically bonded together
- neutron
- uncharged particle that resides in an atom's nucleus; has a mass of one amu
- nonpolar covalent bond
- type of covalent bond that forms between atoms when electrons are shared equally between them
- pH scale
- scale ranging from zero to 14 that is inversely proportional to the hydrogen ions' concentration in a solution
- polar covalent bond
- type of covalent bond that forms as a result of unequal electron sharing, resulting in creating slightly positive and negative charged molecule regions
- solvent
- substance capable of dissolving another substance
- specific heat capacity
- the amount of heat one gram of a substance must absorb or lose to change its temperature by one degree Celsius
- sphere of hydration
- when a polar water molecule surrounds charged or polar molecules thus keeping them dissolved and in solution
- surface tension
- tension at the surface of a body of liquid that prevents the molecules from separating; created by the attractive cohesive forces between the liquid's molecules