Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
Glossary
Accuracy: How close a
measurement or the answer to a
calculation is to an accepted
value.
Activation energy: The energy
required to get a reaction
started.
Alkali metal: An element (other
than hydrogen) found in the
first column of the periodic
table.
Alkaline earth metal: An element
found in the second column of
the periodic table.
Anion: A negative ion.
Aqueous: A solution in which
water is the solvent.
Arrhenius acid: A substance that
releases H
+
ions in aqueous
solution.
Arrhenius base: A substance that
releases OH
-
ions in aqueous
solution.
Atom: The smallest complete unit
of an element.
Atomic mass: A weighted average
of the masses of the naturally
occurring isotopes of an
element.
Atomic number: A number equal
to the number of protons in the
nucleus of an atom.
Avogadro's number: 6.02 × 10
23
.
Barometer: An instrument that can
be used to measure the pressure
of gases.
Binary compound: A compound
made up of two, and only two,
elements.
Boyle's Law: States that the
pressure and volume of a gas at
constant temperature are
inversely proportional to each
other.
Brønsted-Lowry acid: A substance
that donates a proton to
another substance.
Brønsted-Lowry base: A substance
that accepts a proton from
another substance.
