CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

chromium    →   krom

Chromium was discovered by Louis-Nicholas Vauquelin (France) in 1797. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word chroma meaning colour. It is very hard, crystalline, steel-grey metal. The pure metal has a blue-white colour. It is hard, brittle and corrosion-resistant at normal temperatures. Hexavalent compounds toxic by skin contact. The most important chromium mineral is chromite [Fe,Mg(CrO₄)]. Produced commercially by heating its ore in the presence of silicon or aluminium. Used to make stainless steel. It gives the colour to rubies and emeralds. Iron-nickel-chromium alloys in various percentages yield an incredible variety of the most important metals in modern technology.

electrical double layer    →   električni dvosloj

Electrical double layer is the structure of charge accumulation and charge separation that always occurs at the interface when an electrode is immersed into an electrolyte solution. The excess charge on the electrode surface is compensated by an accumulation of excess ions of the opposite charge in the solution. The amount of charge is a function of the electrode potential. This structure behaves essentially as a capacitor. There are several theoretical models that describe the structure of the double layer. The three most commonly used ones are the Helmholtz model, the Gouy-Chapman model, and the Gouy-Chapman-Stern model.

electrochemical cell    →   elektrokemijski članak

Electrochemical cell is a device that converts chemical energy into electrical energy or vice versa when a chemical reaction is occurring in the cell. It consist of two electronically conducting phases (e.g., solid or liquid metals, semiconductors, etc) connected by an ionically conducting phase (e.g. aqueous or non-aqueous solution, molten salt, ionically conducting solid). As an electric current passes, it must change from electronic current to ionic current and back to electronic current. These changes of conduction mode are always accompanied by oxidation/reduction reactions.

An essential feature of the electrochemical cell is that the simultaneously occurring oxidation-reduction reactions are spatially separated. E.g., in a spontaneous chemical reaction during the oxidation of hydrogen by oxygen to water, electrons are passed directly from the hydrogen to the oxygen.

In contrast, in the spontaneous electrochemical reaction in a galvanic cell the hydrogen is oxidised at the anode by transferring electrons to the anode and the oxygen is reduced at the cathode by accepting electrons from the cathode. The ions produced in the electrode reactions, in this case positive hydrogen ions and the negative hydroxyl (OH^-) ions, will recombine in the solution to form the final product of the reaction: water. During this process the electrons are conducted from the anode to the cathode through an outside electric circuit where the electric current can drive a motor, light a light bulb, etc. The reaction can also be reversed: water can be decomposed into hydrogen and oxygen by the application of electrical power in an electrolytic cell.

nerve poison    →   živčani bojni otrov

Nerve poison (nerve gas, agents) have had an entirely dominant role since the Second World War. Nerve poisons acquired their name because they affect the transmission of nerve impulses in the nervous system. All nerve poisons belong chemically to the group of organo-phosphorus compounds. They are stable and easily dispersed, highly toxic and have rapid effects both when absorbed through the skin and via respiration. Nerve poisons can be manufactured by means of fairly simple chemical techniques. The raw materials are inexpensive and generally readily available.

The most important nerve agents included in modern chemical weapons arsenals are:

Nerve poisons are colorless, odorless, tasteless liquids of low volatility. Antidotes are atropine sulfate and pralidoxime iodide.

Newman’s projection    →   Newmanova projekcija

Newman’s projection is an image which we get when we observe a model of ethane molecule in C-C bond direction.

nuclear reactor    →   nuklearni reaktor

Nuclear reactor is an assembly of fissionable material (uranium-235 or plutonium-239) designed to produce a sustained and controllable chain reaction for the generation of electric power.

The essential components of a nuclear reactor are:

1. The core, metal rods containing enough fissionable material to maintain a chain reaction at the necessary power level (as much as 50 t of uranium may be required).
2. A source of neutrons to initiate the reaction (such as a mixture of polonium and beryllium)
3. A moderator to reduce the energy of fast neutrons for more efficient fission (material such as graphite, beryllium, heavy water, and light water are used)
4. A coolant to remove the fission-generated heat (water, sodium, helium, and nitrogen may be used)
5. A control system such as rods of boron or cadmium that have high capture cross sections (to absorb neutrons)
6. Adequate shielding, remote-control equipment, and appropriate instrumentation are essential for personnel safety and efficient operation.

praseodymium    →   praseodimij

Praseodymium was discovered by Carl F. Auer von Welsbach (Austria) in 1885. The origin of the name comes from the Greek words prasios didymos meaning green twin. It is silvery white, moderately soft, malleable, ductile metal. Reacts slowly with oxygen. Reacts rapidly with water. Metal ignites and burns readily. Praseodymium is obtained from same salts as neodymium. Used with neodymium to make lenses for glass maker’s goggles since it filters out the yellow light present in glass blowing. Alloyed with magnesium creates a high-strength metal used in aircraft engines. Misch metal, used in the manufacture of pyrophoric alloys for cigarette lighters, contains about 5 % praseodymium metal. (Typically composition of misch metal are Ce:Nd:Pr:La:Other rare earth=50:18:6:22:4).

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.

terbium    →   terbij

Terbium was discovered by Carl Gustaf Mosander (Sweden) in 1843. Named after Ytterby, a village in Sweden. It is soft, ductile, silvery-grey, rare earth metal. Oxidizes slowly in air. Reacts with cold water. Terbium is found with other rare earths in monazite sand. Other sources are xenotime and euxenite, both of which are oxide mixtures that can contain up to 1 % terbium. It is used in modest amounts in special lasers and solid-state devices.

xenon    →   ksenon

Xenon was discovered by Sir William Ramsay, Morris W. Travers (England) in 1898. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word xenos meaning stranger. It is heavy, colourless, odourless, noble gas. Reacts only with fluorine. Xenon is obtain from the small quantities in liquid air. Used for filling flash lamps and other powerful lamps. Electrical excitation of xenon produces a burst of brilliant white light. Also used in bubble chambers and modern nuclear power reactors.