CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

optical activity    →   optička aktivnost

Optical activity is the ability of a chiral molecule to rotate the plane of plane-polairzed light. Molecules of an optically active substance cannot be superimposed on their own mirror images, just as your left hand cannot be superimposed on your right when both are held palm-down.

refractive index    →   indeks loma

For a non-absorbing medium, refractive index (n) is the ratio of the velocity of electromagnetic radiation (light) in vacuum to the phase velocity of radiation of a specified frequency in the medium.

regeneration    →   regeneracija

Regeneration is the process of restoring an ion exchange medium to a usable state after exhaustion. The cation exchanger is normally regenerated with hydrochloric acid and the anion exchanger with sodium hydroxide.

orbital    →   orbitala

Orbital is the area in space about an atom or molecule in which the probability of finding an electron is greatest.

The possible atomic orbitals correspond to subshells of the atom. Thus there is one s-orbital for each shell (orbital quantum number l = 0). There are three p-orbitals (corresponding to the three values of l) and five d-orbitals. The shapes of orbitals depend on the value of l.

ortho position    →   ortho položaj

Ortho position in organic chemistry is the one in which there are two same functional groups, tied to a ring of benzene in the positions 1 and 2. The abbreviation o- is used, for example, o-Hydroquinone is 1,2-dihydroxybenzene.

orthorhombic crystal system    →   ortorompski kristalni sustav

Orthorhombic crystal system is also known as the rhombic system. Minerals of the orthorhombic crystal system are referred to three mutually perpendicular axes, each of which is of a different length than the others.

osmium    →   osmij

Osmium was discovered by Smithson Tennant (England) in 1803. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word osme meaning smell. It is hard fine black powder or hard, lustrous, blue-white metal. Unaffected by air, water and acids. Characteristic acrid, chlorine like odour due to tetroxide compound. Osmium tetroxide highly toxic. Osmium is obtained from the same ores as platinum. Used to tip gold pen points, instrument pivots, to make electric light filaments. Used for high temperature alloys and pressure bearings. Very hard and resists corrosion better than any other.

resin    →   smola

Resins are gumlike solid or semisolid substances used in making such products as paints, varnishes and plastics. A resin is not a plastic unless it has become solid in the finished state.

resolution    →   rezolucija

Resolution is a process by which a racemic mixture is separated into its two pure enantiomers.

reverse osmosis    →   reverzna osmoza

Reverse osmosis is the method used for obtaining freshwater from saltwater. The process uses a semi-permeable membrane through which pure water and not the salts will pass. The saltwater must be pressurised to approximately 25 bar, which makes it operationally expensive to produce large quantities of fresh water by this method.