CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

scandium    →   skandij

Scandium was discovered by Lars Fredrik Nilson (Sweden) in 1879. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word Scandia meaning Scandinavia. It is fairly soft, silvery-white metal. Burns easily. Tarnishes readily in air. Reaction with water releases hydrogen. Reacts with air and halogens. Scandium occurs mainly in the minerals thortveitile (~34 % scandium) and wiikite. Also in some tin and tungsten ores. Pure scandium is obtained as a by-product of uranium refining. Scandium metal is used in some aerospace applications. Scandium oxide (Sc₂O₂) is used in the manufacture of high-intensity electric lamps. Scandium iodide (ScI₃) is used in lamps that produce light having a colour closely matching natural sunlight.

silicon    →   silicij

Silicon was discovered by Jöns Jacob Berzelius (Sweden) in 1824. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word silicis meaning flint. Amorphous form of silicon is brown powder; crystalline form has grey metallic appearance. Solid form unreactive with oxygen, water and most acids. Dissolves in hot alkali. Silica dust is a moderately toxic acute irritant. Silicon makes up major portion of clay, granite, quartz and sand. Commercial production depends on a reaction between sand (SiO₂) and carbon at a temperature of around 2200 °C. Used in glass as silicon dioxide (SiO₂). Silicon carbide (SiC) is one of the hardest substances known and used in polishing. Also the crystalline form is used in semiconductors.

spontaneous process    →   spontani proces

Spontaneous process is a process that occurs without outside intervention. No external forces are required to keep the process going, although external forces may be required to get the process started. For example, the burning of wood is spontaneous once the fire is started. The combination of water and carbon dioxide to reform the wood and oxygen is NOT spontaneous! Spontaneity is independent of rate. To be spontaneous a process must increase the entropy of the universe.

stoichiometry    →   stehiometrija

Stoichiometry is the relative proportions elements from compounds or in which substances react. Every chemical reaction has its characteristic proportions. For example, when methane unites with oxygen in complete combustion, 1 mol of methane requires 2 mol of oxygen.

At the same time, 1 mol of carbon dioxide and 2 mol of water are formed as reaction products.

Alternatively, 16 g of methane and 64 g of oxygen produce 44 g of carbon dioxide and 36 g of water.

The stoichiometric relationship between the products and reactants can be used to in calculations.

superoxide    →   superoksid

Superoxides are binary compounds containing oxygen in the -½ oxidation state. Sodium superoxide (NaO₂) can be prepared with high oxygen pressures, whereas the superoxides of rubidium, potassium, and cesium can be prepared directly by combustion in air. These compounds are yellow to orange paramagnetic solids. Superoxide ion, O₂^-, has an unpaired electron, is not particularly stable, and spontaneously decomposes into peroxide over time.

They are strong oxidising agents that vigorously hydrolyze (react with water) to produce superoxide and oxygen gas.

technetium    →   tehnecij

Technetium was discovered by Carlo Perrier and Emilio Segre (Italy) in 1937. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word technikos meaning artificial. It is silvery-grey metal. Resists oxidation but tarnishes in moist air and burns in high oxygen environment. First synthetically produced element. Radioactive. Technetium is made first by bombarding molybdenum with deuterons (heavy hydrogen) in a cyclotron. Added to iron in quantities as low as 55 part-per-million transforms the iron into a corrosion-resistant alloy.

thermochemical equation    →   termokemijska jednadžba

Thermochemical equation is a compact equation representing a chemical reaction that describes both the stoichiometry and the energetics of the reaction. For example, the thermochemical equation

means When one mole of gaseous methane is burned in two moles of oxygen gas, one mole of carbon dioxide gas and 2 moles of steam are produced, and 2 220 kJ of heat are released.

titanium    →   titanij

Titanium was discovered by William Gregor (England) in 1791. Named after the Titans, the sons of the Earth goddess in Greek mythology. It is shiny, dark-grey metal. Powdered form burns in air. Exposed surfaces form oxide coating. It can be highly polished and is relatively immune to tarnishing. Unreactive with alkali and most acids. Titanium usually occurs in the minerals ilmenite (FeTiO₃), rutile (TiO₂) and iron ores. Pure metal produced by heating TiO₂ with C and Cl₂ to produce TiCl₄ then heated with Mg gas in Ar atmosphere. Since it is strong and resists acids it is used in many alloys. Titanium dioxide (TiO₂), a white pigment that covers surfaces very well, is used in paint, rubber, paper and many others.

tungsten    →   volfram

Tungsten was discovered by Fausto and Juan Jose de Elhuyar (Spain) in 1783. Named after the tungsten mineral wolframite. It is hard, steel-grey to white metal. Highest melting point of all metals. Resists oxygen, acids and alkalis. Tungsten occurs in the minerals scheelite (CaWO₄) and wolframite [(Fe,Mn)WO₄]. Made into filaments for vacuum tubes and electric lights. Also as contact points in cars. Tungsten carbide is extremely hard and is used for making cutting tools and abrasives.

U-tube    →   U-cijev

U-tube filled with a sodium hydroxide is used for a cleaned and dried gas.

U-tube filled with a 1 mol dm^-3 aqueous potassium nitrate solution is used as a permanent salt bridge.

U-tube is a device used for water electrolysis, for laboratory hydrogen and oxygen obtaining.