CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

Wagner tube    →   Wagnerova cijev

Wagner tube or drop catcher impedes the movement of distillate drops from the distillation flask to the condensing chamber.

U-tube    →   U-cijev

U-tube filled with a sodium hydroxide is used for a cleaned and dried gas.

U-tube filled with a 1 mol dm^-3 aqueous potassium nitrate solution is used as a permanent salt bridge.

U-tube is a device used for water electrolysis, for laboratory hydrogen and oxygen obtaining.

X-ray tube    →   rendgenska cijev

X-ray tube is a cathode ray tube that focuses energetic streams of electrons on a metal target, causing the metal to emit X-rays. The basic principle of the X-ray tube has not changed significantly since Roentgen's 1895 discovery. Current applied to a metal cathode (about 50 000 V) produces free electrons. The X-rays are produced when the rapidly moving electrons are suddenly stopped as they strike the metal target of the tube.

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

acid    →   kiselina

Acid is a type of compound that contains hydrogen and dissociates in water to produce positive hydrogen ions. The reaction for an acid HA is commonly written:

In fact, the hydrogen ion (the proton) is solvated, and the complete reaction is:

This definition of acids comes from the Arrhenius theory. Such acids tend to be corrosive substances with a sharp taste, which turn litmus red and produce colour changes with other indicators. They are referred to as protonic acids and are classified into strong acids, which are almost completely dissociated in water, (e.g. sulphuric acid and hydrochloric acid), and weak acids, which are only partially dissociated (e.g. acetic acid and hydrogen sulphide). The strength of an acid depends on the extent to which it dissociates, and is measured by its dissociation constant.

In the Lowry-Brønsted theory of acids and bases (1923), the definition was extended to one in which an acid is a proton donor (a Brønsted acid), and a base is a proton acceptor (a Brønsted base). An important feature of the Lowry-Brønsted concept is that when an acid gives up a proton, a conjugate base is formed that is capable of accepting a proton.

Similarly, every base produces its conjugate acid as a result of accepting a proton.

For example, acetate ion is the conjugate base of acetic acid, and ammonium ion is the conjugate acid of ammonia.

As the acid of a conjugate acid/base pair becomes weaker, its conjugate base becomes stronger and vice versa.

A further extension of the idea of acids and bases was made in the Lewis theory. In this, a G. N. Lewis acid is a compound or atom that can accept a pair of electrons and a Lewis base is one that can donate an electron pair. This definition encompasses "traditional" acid-base reactions, but it also includes reactions that do not involve ions, e.g.

in which NH₃ is the base (donor) and BCl₃ the acid (acceptor).

air curtain    →   zračna zavjesa

Air curtain is a constant stream of bubbles provided by a submerged diffuser (usually a tube type), which surrounds a specified area.

anode    →   anoda

Anode is the electrode at which oxidation occurs in a cell. Anions migrate to the anode.

Anode is a positive electrode on which reaction of oxidation is developed (loss of electrons).

anodic rays    →   anodne zrake

Anodic rays, rays which in a vacuum tube are emitted from anode.

calibration    →   kalibracija

Calibration is correcting a measuring instrument by measuring values whose true values are known. Calibration minimises systematic error.

centi    →   centi

Centi is a prefix used in the SI system meaning one hundredth of. For example 1 cm means one hundredth of a meter; 2.3 cg could also be written 2.3×10^-2 g or 0.023 g.