CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

complexometry    →   kompleksometrija

Complexometry is a volumetric analytic method which is based on titration of metal ion solutions with a substance that, combined with metal ions yields complex compounds, e.g. EDTA. The stoichiometric ratio of EDTA-metal in complexometric analyses is always 1:1, whatever the valency of the metal

deoxyribonucleic acid    →   dezoksiribonukleinska kiselina

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is a nucleic acid with 2-deoxy-D-ribose as the sugar in its nucleotides. DNA contains encoded genetic information, specifically templates for the synthesis of all of an organism’s proteins and enzymes.

DNA was first identified in the 1869 by Swiss chemist Friedrich Miescher (1844-1895). In 1953, American biologist James Dewey Watson (1928-) and English physicist Francis Harry Compton Crick (1916–2004) had discovered that DNA occurs in the cell as a double helix, with two long strands of the molecule wound around each other, and further that the chemical structure of the molecule dictates that adenine (A) always aligns or pairs with thymine (T), and cytosine (C) always pairs with guanine (G). It is this base pairing that allows DNA in a cell to copy itself, and transfer its information to a new cell. The diameter of the helix is 2.0 nm and there is a residue on each chain every 0.34 nm in the z direction. The angle between each residue on the same strand is 36°, so that the structure repeats after 10 residues (3.4 nm) on each strand.

dioxin    →   dioksin

Dioxin is a general term that describes a group of hundreds of chemicals that are highly persistent in the environment. The most toxic compound is 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin or TCDD. The toxicity of other dioxins and chemicals like PCBs that act like dioxin are measured in relation to TCDD. Dioxin is formed as an unintentional by-product of many industrial processes involving chlorine such as waste incineration, chemical and pesticide manufacturing and pulp and paper bleaching. Dioxin was the primary toxic component of Agent Orange, found at Love Canal in Niagara Falls, NY and was the basis for evacuations at Times Beach, MO and Seveso, Italy.

Dioxin is formed by burning chlorine-based chemical compounds with hydrocarbons. The major source of dioxin in the environment comes from waste-burning incinerators of various sorts and also from backyard burn-barrels. Dioxin pollution is also affiliated with paper mills which use chlorine bleaching in their process, with the production of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) plastics, and with the production of certain chlorinated chemicals (like many pesticides).

environment protection    →   zaštita okoliša

From Environment protection law of the Republic of Croatia: By protection of the environment, the following is ensured: complete preservation of environment quality, natural community preservation, rational usage of natural resources and energy in the most favourable way concerning the environment as a basic condition of healthy and sustainable development.

crystal system    →   kristalni sustav

Crystal system is a method of classifying crystalline substances on the basis of their unit cell. There are seven unique crystal systems. The simplest and most symmetric, the cubic (or isometric) system, has the symmetry of a cube. The other six systems, in order of decreasing symmetry, are hexagonal, tetragonal, rhombohedral (also known as trigonal), orthorhombic, monoclinic and triclinic.

Crystal system	Unit-cell	Conditions on unit-cell edges and angles
cubic		a=b=c α=β=γ=90°
hexagonal		a≠c α=γ=90° β=120°
tetragonal		a=b≠c α=β=γ=90°
rhombohedral		a=b=c α=β=γ≠90°
orthorhombic		a≠b≠c α=β=γ=90°
monoclinic		a≠b≠c α=γ=90°≠β
triclinic		a≠b≠c α≠β≠γ≠90°

filter    →   filtar

Filter is a device for separating solid particles from a liquid or a gas. The simplest laboratory filter for liquids is a funnel in which a cone of paper (filter paper) is placed. Special containers with a porous base of sintered glass are also used.

Gaussian system of units    →   Gaussov sustav jedinica

Gaussian system of units is a hybrid system used in electromagnetic theory, which combines features of both the electrostatic cgs subsystem (esu) and electromagnetic cgs subsystem (emu). With three base units, it uses em units in magnetism and es units in electrostatics. This involves using the constant c (the velocity of light in vacuum) to interrelate these sets of units.

dissociation    →   disocijacija

Dissociation is the process by which a chemical combination breaks up into simpler constituents as a result of either added energy (dissociated by heat), or the effect of a solvent on a dissolved polar compound (electrolytic dissociation). It may occur in the gaseous, solid, or liquid state, or in a solution.

An example of dissociation is the reversible reaction of hydrogen iodide at high temperatures

The term dissociation is also applied to ionisation reactions of acids and bases in water. For example

which is often regarded as a straightforward dissociation into ions

dissociation constant    →   konstanta disocijacije

Dissociation constant is a constant whose numerical value depends on the equilibrium between the undissociated and dissociated forms of a molecule. A higher value indicates greater dissociation.

The term dissociation is also applied to ionisation reactions of acids and bases in water. For example

which is often regarded as a straightforward dissociation into ions

The equilibrium constant of such a dissociation is called the acid dissociation constant or acidity constant, given by

The concentration of water [H₂O] can be taken as constant.

Similarly, for a base, the equilibrium

is also a dissociation; with the base dissociation constant or basicity constant, given by

K_a (K_b) is a measure of the strength of the acid (base).

high-density polyethylene    →   polietilen visoke gustoće

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a thermoplastic polyolefin with a density of from 0.941 g/cm³ to 0.960 g/cm³. It is a recyclable plastic, used for items such as milk containers, detergent containers, and base cups of plastic soft drink bottles. HDPE has a high degree of resistance to chemicals, is easy to keep clean, and easily welded.