CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

explosive    →   eksploziv

Explosive is a compound or mixture that, when ignited or detonated, undergoes rapid violent chemical reaction that produces large amount of gas and heat, accompanied by light, sound and a high pressure shock wave.

fission    →   fisija

Fission is a nuclear reaction in which an atomic nucleus breaks into smaller nuclei of comparable mass, releasing a large amount of energy.

halogens    →   halogeni elementi

Halogens are the elements fluorine (F) chlorine (Cl), bromine (Br), iodine (I), and astatine (At). They are non-metals, and make up part of the 17 group in the periodic table. Compounds of these elements are called halogenides or halides.

The halogens all have a strong unpleasant odour and will burn flesh. They do not dissolve well in water. The five elements are strongly electronegative. They are oxidising agents, with fluorine being the strongest and astatine being the weakest. They react with most metals and many non-metals.

Halogens form molecules which consist of atoms covalently bonded. With increasing atomic weight there is a gradation in physical properties. For example: Fluorine is a pale green gas of low density. Chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas 1.892 times as dense as fluorine. Bromine is a deep reddish-brown liquid which is three times as dense as water. Iodine is a grayish-black crystalline solid with a metallic appearance. And astatine is a solid with properties which indicate that it is somewhat metallic in character.

radioactivity    →   radioaktivnost

Radioactivity is capability of a spontaneous decay of an atom. In this way a new atom type is formed and radioactive radiation is released. An atom can emit three types of radioactive radiation: positive α-radiation, negative β-radiation and electrically neutral γ-radiation. During radioactive decay one element never emits all types of radiation at the same time.

hybrid orbital    →   hibridne orbitale

Hybrid orbital is an orbital created by mixing together atomic orbitals to form an equal number of new hybrid atomic orbitals. For example, a common hybridization is sp³ where s orbital combine with a three p orbitals to form four new orbitals. After hybridization, all hybrid orbitals have the same energy, lower than p orbitals, but higher than s orbitals.

hybridization    →   hibridizacija

Hybridization is an internal linear combination of atomic orbitals, in which the wave functions of the atomic orbitals are added together to generate new hybrid wave functions. The new orbitals which are formed are hybrids of the originals and have properties (shape, size and energy) that are somewhere in between.

indium    →   indij

Indium was discovered by Ferdinand Reich and Hieronymus Theodor Richter (Germany) in 1863. Named after the indicum (colour indigo), the colour it shows in a spectroscope. It is rare, very soft, silver-white metal. Stable in air and water. Dissolves in acids. Metal can ignite and burn. Indium is found in certain zinc ores. Used to coat high speed bearings and as an alloy that lowers the melting point of other metals. Relatively small amounts are used in dental items and in electronic semiconductors.

molar mass    →   molarna masa

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance.

It is normally expressed in units of g mol^-1, in which case its numerical value is identical with the relative molecular mass.

standard mean ocean water    →   standardna prosječna oceanska voda

Standard mean ocean water (SMOW) is a standard sample of pure water of accurately known isotopic composition which is maintained by the International Atomic Energy Agency. It is used for precise calibration of density and isotopic composition measurements.

transuranium element    →   trasuranski element

Transuranium elements are elements with an atomic number higher than 92 (uranium’s atomic number). Transuranium elements are unstable and occur in extremely low concentrations in nature. Most are made artificially.