CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

cathode    →   katoda

Cathode is a negative electrode of an electrolytic cell to which positively charged ions (cations) migrate when a current is passed as in electroplating baths.

In a primary or secondary cell (battery or accumulator) the cathode is the electrode that spontaneously becomes negative during discharge, and form which therefore electrons emerge.

In vacuum electronic devices electrons are emitted by the cathode and flow to the anode.

Contat-Gockel’s valve    →   Contat-Gockelov ventil

Contat-Göckel’s valve is used for maintenance of inert atmosphere in a flask. The valve is filled with a saturated solution of sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO₃) so that the end of the tube is covered. Solution inside the valve keeps the flask contents away from the oxygen influence from air. If low pressure is created inside the flask (when the flask is cooled), the solution will penetrate inside it from funnel and in a reaction with acid CO₂ is generated which fills up the flask.

Solution from the funnel will keep penetrating until CO₂ pressure in the flask is equalised with the outer pressure.

refractive index    →   indeks loma

For a non-absorbing medium, refractive index (n) is the ratio of the velocity of electromagnetic radiation (light) in vacuum to the phase velocity of radiation of a specified frequency in the medium.

Coulomb’s law    →   Coulombov zakon

Coulomb’s law is the statement that the force F between two electrical charges q₁ and q₂ separated by a distance r is

where ε_o is the permittivity of a vacuum, equal to

Dewar flask    →   Dewarova posuda

Dewar flask or vacuum bottle is a container for storing hot or cold substances. It consists of two flasks, one placed inside the other, with a vacuum between. The vacuum prevents the conduction of heat from one flask to the other. For greater efficiency the flasks are silvered to reflect heat. The substance to be kept hot or cold, e.g., liquid air, is contained in the inner flask. The flask is named after British chemist and physicist Sir James Dewar (1842-1923). Dewar invented the Dewar flask in 1892 to aid him in his work with liquid gases. The common thermos bottle is an adaptation of the Dewar flask.

dielectric constant    →   dielektrična konstanta

Dielectric constant or permittivity (ε) is an index of the ability of a substance to attenuate the transmission of an electrostatic force from one charged body to another. The lower the value, the greater the attenuation. The standard measurement apparatus utilises a vacuum whose dielectric constant is 1. In reference to this, various materials interposed between the charged terminal have the following value at 20 °C:

The exceptionally high value for water accounts for its unique behaviour as a solvent and in electrolytic solutions. Dielectric constant values decrease as the temperature rises.

distillation    →   destilacija

Distillation is a process of boiling a liquid and condensing and collecting the vapour. The liquid collected is the distillate. The usual purpose of distillation is purification or separation of the components of a mixture. This is possible because the composition of the vapour is usually different from that of liquid mixture from which it is obtained. Petrol, kerosene, fuel oil, and lubricating oil are produced from petroleum by distillation.

distilled water    →   destilirana voda

Distilled water is water purified by distillation so as to free it from dissolved salts and other compounds. Distilled water in equilibrium with the carbon dioxide in the air has conductivity of about 0.8×10^-6 S cm^-1. Repeated distillation in vacuum can bring conductivity down to 0.043×10^-6 S cm^-1 at 18 °C. The limiting conductivity is due to self ionisation

dropper    →   kapaljka

Dropper is a pipette consisting of a small tube with a vacuum bulb at one end for drawing liquid in and releasing it a drop at a time.

Gauss’ law for electrostatics    →   Gaussov zakon za elektrostatiku

Gauss’ law describes the relation between charge and electric field in static situations, so it is equivalent to Coulomb’s law, which can be derived from Gauss’ law. Gauss’ law states that the net flux of electric field, Φ, through an imaginary closed surface, S, - a Gaussian surface - is equal to the net charge, q, inside that closed surface:

where electric flux Φ through Gaussian surface is given by:

ε₀ is the permittivity constant and dS is a surface element.