CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

humidity    →   vlažnost

Humidity is a general term used to describe the amount of water vapor found in the atmosphere.

limescale    →   kamenac

Limescale (or scale) is a flaky deposit left in hot-water pipes and appliances, especially those that contain heating elements (washing machines, dishwashers, water heaters). Limescale is mainly made up of calcium and magnesium carbonate.

micelle    →   micele

Micelle is an electrically charged colloidal particle, usually organic in nature, composed of aggregates of large molecules, e.g., in soaps and surfactants. For aqueous solutions, the hydrophilic end of the molecule is on the surface of the micelle, while the hydrophobic end (often a hydrocarbon chain) points toward the centre.

neptunium    →   neptunij

Neptunium was discovered by Edwin M. McMillan and P. H. Abelson (USA) in 1940. Named after the planet Neptune. It is rare, silvery radioactive metal. Resists alkalis; reacts with oxygen and acids. Attacked by steam. Radiotoxic. Neptunium was produced by bombarding uranium with slow neutrons.

Bunsen burner    →   Bunsenov plamenik

Bunsen burner is a standard source of heat in the laboratory. German chemist Roberts Bunsen (1811-1899) improved the burner's design, which had been invented by Faraday, to aid his endeavors in spectroscopy. The Bunsen burner has a vertical metal tube through which a fine jet of fuel gas is directed. Air is drawn in through airholes near the base of the tube and the mixture is ignited and burns at the tube’s upper opening. The flow of this air is controlled by an adjustable collar on the side of the metal tube. When the whole is closed a yellow safety flame is displayed. Where as when the whole is open it displays a power dull blue flame with a faint blue outer flame with a vibrant blue core used u for combustion and hearting. The flame can reach temperatures of 1 500 °C.

chemical equation    →   kemijska jednadžba

Chemical equation is a way of denoting a chemical reaction using the symbol for the participating particles (atoms, molecules, ions, etc.); for example,

The single arrow is used for an irreversible reaction; double arrows are used for reversible reactions. When reactions involve different phases, it is usual to put the phase in brackets after the symbol.

The numbers a, b, c, and d, showing the relative numbers of molecules reacting, are called the stoichiometric coefficients. The convention is that stoichiometric coefficients are positive for reactants and negative for products. If the sum of the coefficients is zero, the equation is balanced.

relative humidity    →   relativna vlažnost

Relative humidity is the ratio of the partial pressure of water vapour in air to the saturation vapour pressure of water at the same temperature, expressed as a percentage.

strong electrolyte    →   jaki elektrolit

Strong electrolytes are those electrolytes which in water solutions completely dissociate into their ions. They conduct electric current very well.

weak acid    →   slaba kiselina

Weak acid is an acid that incompletely dissociated in aqueous solution. Acetic acid is an example of a weak acid

weak electrolyte    →   slabi elektrolit

Weak electrolytes are those electrolytes which in water solutions dissociate only partially, giving ions and which are in equilibrium with undissociated molecules. Their water solutions conduct electric current weakly. For example, acetic acid partially dissociates into acetate ions and hydrogen ions, so that an acetic acid solution contains both molecules and ions.