CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

electrode of the first kind    →   elektroda prvog reda

Electrode of the first kind is a simple metal electrode immersed in a solution containing its own ion (e.g., silver immersed in a silver nitrate solution). The equilibrium potential of this electrode is a function of the concentration (more correctly of activity) of the cation of the electrode metal in the solution (see Nernst’s electrode potential equation).

electrode of the second kind    →   elektroda drugog reda

Electrodes of the second kind are metal electrodes assembly with the equilibrium potential being a function of the concentration of an anion in the solution. Typical examples are the silver/silver-chloride electrode and the calomel electrode. The potential of the metal is controlled by the concentration of its cation in the solution, but this, in turn, is controlled by the anion concentration in the solution through the solubility product of the slightly soluble metal salt. Contrast with electrode of the first kind and electrode of the third kind.

electrode of the third kind    →   elektroda trećeg reda

Electrode of the third kind is a metal electrode assembly with the equilibrium potential being a function of the concentration of a cation, other than the cation of the electrode metal, in the solution. The assembly consists of a metal in contact with two slightly soluble salts (one containing the cation of the solid metal, the other the cation to be determined, with both salts having a common anion) immersed in a solution containing a salt of the second metal (e.g., zinc metal--zinc oxalate--calcium oxalate--calcium salt solution). The potential of the metal is controlled by the concentration of its cation in the solution, but this is controlled by the anion concentration in the solution through the solubility product of the slightly soluble metal salt, which, in turn is controlled by the concentration of the cation of the second slightly soluble salt. These electrodes are very sluggish and unstable due to a series of equilibria to be established to produce a stable potential.

nitrate    →   nitrat

Nitrates are all compounds containing radical NO₃^- or any compound containing it, as a salt or ester of nitric acid. Fertilizers consist of sodium nitrate or potassium nitrate.

electroplating    →   galvaniziranje

Electroplating (also called electrodeposition) is the deposition of a metallic coating onto an object by putting a negative charge onto the object and immersing it into a solution which contains a salt of the metal to be deposited. The metallic ions of the salt carry a positive charge and are attracted to the part. When they reach it, the negatively charged part provides the electrons to reduce the positively charged ions to metallic form.

Typically, a brass or nickel object is coated with a layer of silver by making use of electrolysis of a silver solution, using the object to be coated as the cathode. The anode consist of pure silver, and the cathode is the object to be plated. The electrolyte is a mixure of silver nitrate with potassium cyanide. The reactions are:

The cyanide ensures a low concentration of silver ions, a condition for providing the best plating results.

fat    →   mast

Fats are esters of glycerol and long chain carboxylic acids. Fats occur widely in plants and animals as a means of storing food energy, having twice the calorific value of carbohydrates. Fats derived from plants and fish generally have a greater proportion of unsaturated fatty acids than those from mammals. Fats may be either solid or liquid at room temperature, depending on their structure and composition. Unsaturated fats are liquid at room temperature.

Plant oils may be hardened by the addition of hydrogen atoms, converting double bonds to single bonds. This process is known as hydrogenation. Hydrogenated vegetable oils are often present in margarine and other processed foods.

Alkali hydrolysis of fat with sodium hydroxide it gives glycerol and soap (i.e. a mixture of the sodium salts of the fatty acids).

selenide    →   selenid

Selenides are compounds having the structure R-Se-R (R not equal to H). They are thus selenium analogues of ethers. Also used for metal salts of H₂Se.

silanes    →   silani

Silanes are saturated silicon hydrides, analogues of the alkanes (compounds of the general formula Si_nH_2n+2).

siloxanes    →   siloksani

Siloxanes are saturated silicon-oxygen hydrides with unbranched or branched chains of alternating silicon and oxygen atoms (-Si-O-Si-).

soldering    →   lemljenje

Soldering is a process of joining metallic surfaces with solder without melting the base material.