CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

indicator    →   indikator

Indicator is a substance used to show the presence of a chemical substance or ion by its colour. Acid-base indicators are compounds, such as phenolphtaleine and methyl orange, which change colour reversibly, depending on whether the solution is acidic or basic. Oxidation-reduction indicators are substances that show a reversible colour change between oxidised and reduced forms.

indicator electrode    →   indikatorska elektroda

Indicator electrode is working in one of the electrodes in some classical two-electrode cells, e.g., in a potentiometric electroanalytical setup where the potential of the measuring electrode (against a reference electrode) is a measure of the concentration (more accurately activity) of a species in the solution.

ion exchanger    →   ionski izmjenjivač

Ion-exchanger is a solid or liquid material containing ions that are exchangeable with other ions with a like charge that are present in a solution in which the material is insoluble. Ion-exchange resins consist of various copolymers having a cross-linked three-dimensional structure to which ionic groups have been attached.

ion selective electrode    →   ion selektivne elektrode

Ion selective electrode (ISE) is an electrode or electrode assembly with a potential that is dependent on the concentration of an ionic species in the test solution and is used for electroanalysis. Ion-selective electrodes are often membrane type electrodes.

ionisation    →   ionizacija

Ionisation is the process of producing ions. Certain molecules ionise in a solution; for example, acids ionise when dissolved in water.

Electron transfer also causes ionisation in certain reactions, for example sodium and chlorine react by transfer of a valence electron from the sodium atom to the chlorine atom to form the ions that constitute a sodium chloride crystal.

iridium    →   iridij

Iridium was discovered by Smithson Tennant (England) in 1803. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word iris, meaning rainbow, because its salts are highly colored. It is heavy, brittle, white metal. Unreactive in air, water and acids. Attacked by fused NaOH. Metal ignites and burns readily. Iridium is found in gravel deposits with platinum. Used with osmium to tip gold pen points, to make crucible and special containers. Also to make alloys used for standard weights and measures and heat-resistant alloys. Also as hardening agent for platinum.

isoelectric point    →   izoelektrična točka

Isoelectric point (pI or IEP) is the pH of a solution or dispersion at which the net charge on the molecules or colloidal particles is zero. In electrophoresis there is no motion of the particles in an electric field at the isoelectric point. The net charge (the algebraic sum of all the charged groups present) of any amino acid, peptide or protein, will depend upon the pH of the surrounding aqueous environment. For example, alanine can have a charge of +1, 0, or -1, depending on the pH of the solution in which it is dissolved.

Kjeldahl’s method    →   Kjeldahlov postupak

Kjeldahl’s method is an analytical method for determination of nitrogen in certain organic compounds. The method was developed by the Danish chemist Johan Kjeldahl (1849-1900).

It involves addition of a small amount of anhydrous potassium sulphate to the test compound, followed by heating the mixture with concentrated sulphuric acid, often with a catalyst such as copper sulphate. As a result ammonia is formed. After alkalyzing the mixture with sodium hydroxyde, the ammonia is separated by distillation, collected in standard acid, and the nitrogen determined by back-titration.

1. Kjeldahl flask for decomposition (500 ml – macro or 100 ml - micro)
2. funnel for alkaline solution
3. Wagner tube (drop catcher)
4. condenser
5. absorption flask with known volume of standard acid

Kohlrausch’s law    →   Kohlrauschov zakon

Kohlrausch’s law states that the equivalent conductivity of an electrolyte at infinite dilution is equal to the sum of the conductances of the anions and cations. If a salt is dissolved in water, the conductivity of the solution is the sum of the conductances of the anions and cations. The law, which depends on the independent migration of ions, was deduced experimentally by the German chemist Friedrich Kohlrausch (1840-1910).

Knudsen burette    →   Knudsenova bireta

Knudsen's automatic bulb-burette, developed by the Danish physicist Martin Knudsen (1871-1949), is designed in a way that even routine field analysis in a boat laboratory would provide highly accurate measurements. The burette is filled with a mixture of silver nitrate from reservoir R, located above the burette, by opening the A valve. When the solution crosses the three-way C valve the A valve is closed preventing further solution flow in to the burette. Any extra solution is caught in the W bowl. Turn the C valve, which marks the zero on the scale, in order to allow atmospheric air to enter the burette. Since most open-ocean samples lie in a relatively small chlorinity range, the burette is designed so that much of its capacity is in the bulb (B). This allows the titration to be quick (by quickly releasing contents from the B area) and reduces the error that occurs from the slow drainage along the inner wall of the burette.

Each millimeter is divided in to twenty parts (double millimeter division of the Knudsen burette) which allows for highly accurate measurements (the scale is read up to a precision of 0.005 mL). From 0 to 16 the burette isn't divided, that usually starts from 16 and goes until 20.5 or 21.5. A single double millimeter on a Knudsen burette scale corresponds to one permille of chloride in the seawater sample. This burette can be used for titration of water from all of the oceans and seas, with the exemptions being areas with very low salinity (e.g. the Baltic Sea) and river estuaries which require the use of normal burettes.