CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

amount concentration    →   količinska koncentracija

Amount concentration (also called molar concentration and in older literature molarity) is the amount of a given substance in a stated unit of a mixture, solution, or ore. The common unit is mole per cubic decimetre (moldm⁻³) or mole per litre (molL^-1) sometimes denoted by M.

The concentration of an atom, ion, or molecule in a solution may be symbolised by the use of square brackets, as [Ca²⁺].

amount fraction    →   količinski udio

Amount fraction, x_A, (y for gaseous mixtures) is the ratio of the amount of substance (number of moles) of substance A to the total amount of substance in a mixture.

aspartic acid    →   asparaginska kiselina

Aspartic acid is an electrically charged amino acids with acidic side chains. As a group the charged amino acids are relatively abundant and are generally located on the surface of the protein. Aspartic acid and glutamic acid play important roles as general acids in enzyme active centers, as well as in maintaining the solubility and ionic character of proteins. Aspartic acid (sometimes referred to as asparate depending on pH) is non-essential in mammals, being produced from oxaloacetate by transamination.

• Abbreviations: Asp, D
• IUPAC name: 2-aminobutanedioic acid
• Molecular formula: C₄H₇NO₄
• Molecular weight: 133.10 g/mol

Bordeaux mixture    →   bordoška juha

Bordeaux mixture is a mixture of copper(II) sulphate and calcium hydroxide in water, used as fungicide.

buffer capacity    →   puferski kapacitet

Buffer capacity is number of moles of a strong acid or a strong base needed to change pH of 1 dm³ of buffer solution for pH unit.

analytical balance    →   analitička vaga

Analytical balances are instruments used for precise determining mass of matter. Analytical balances are sensitive and expensive instruments, and upon their accuracy and precision the accuracy of analysis result depends. The most widely used type of analytical balances are balances with a capacity of 100 g and a sensitivity of 0.1 mg. Not one quantitative chemical analysis is possible without usage of balances, because, regardless of which analytical method is being used, there is always a need for weighing a sample for analysis and the necessary quantity of reagents for solution preparation.

The working part of the balance is enclosed in a glass-fitted case. The baseplate is usually of black glass or black slate. The beam has agate knife-edges at its extremes, supporting stirrups from which balance pans are suspended. Another agate or steel knife-edge is fixed exactly in the middle of the beam on its bottom side. This knife-edge faces downwards and supports the beam. When not in use and during loading or unloading of the pans, the balance should be arrested.

The principle of operation of a modern laboratory balance bears some resemblance to its predecessor - the equal arm balance. The older instrument opposed the torque exerted by an unknown mass on one side of a pivot to that of an adjustable known weight on the other side. When the pointer returned to the center position, the torques must be equal, and the weight was determined by the position of the moving weights.

Modern electronic laboratory balances work on the principle of magnetic force restoration. In this system, the force exerted by the object being weighed is lifted by an electromagnet. A detector measures the current required to oppose the downward motion of the weight in the magnetic field.

atmosphere    →   atmosfera

1. Atmosphere is the column of air which is extending several hundred kilometers above the surface the Earth's surface. The density of this air decreases as you proceed up from the surface. The air in the atmosphere consists of 78 % nitrogen, 21 % oxygen, and 0.9 % argon. The remaining 0.1 % of the atmosphere consists of ozone, water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, helium, and neon. The atmosphere is divided into different regions. The lowest two layers are the troposphere (the layer closest to the earth) and the stratosphere respectively. These two layers contain more than 99 % of the atmospheric molecules.

2. Standard atmosphere (atm) is an obsolete pressure and stress unit which should be discontinued. It is unit of pressure equal to the air pressure measured at mean sea level.

1 atm = 101 325 Pa

Technical atmosphere (at) is an obsolete MKpS pressure and sttress derived unit.

1 at = 98 066.5 Pa

1 atm = 1.033 227 453 at

calorimetry    →   kalorimetrija

Calorimetry is a measurement of the amount of heat evolved or absorbed in a chemical reaction, change of state, or formation of a solution, or any other event that includes heat transfer.

atom    →   atom

Atom is an atom is the smallest particle of an element that retains the chemical properties of the element. Rutherford-Bohr’s model represents the atom as a positively charged core of a size around 10^-14 m composed of protons (positive particles) and neutrons (neutral particles) around which negatively charged electrons circle. The number of protons and electrons are equal, so the atom is an electrically a neutral particle. Diameter of the atom is about 10^-10 m.

autocatalysis    →   autokataliza

Autocatalysis is a reaction in which its product can act as a catalyst. Oxalate oxidation with permanganate in an acid solution is a slow reaction

Mn²⁺-ions catalyse this reaction. When enough Mn²⁺-ions are created, the reaction occurs instantly.