Escolar Documentos
Profissional Documentos
Cultura Documentos
acid dissociation constant, Ka the equilibrium constant for ATP (adenosine triphosphate) a molecule involved
in energy transfers in cells. The hydrolysis of ATP
a weak acid: Ka =
releases energy which can be used to do useful work, e.g.
acid a proton (hydrogen ion) donor. provide energy for enzyme-catalysed reactions, for muscle
acidbase indicator a substance which changes colour over contraction or to drive molecules through cell membranes
a narrow range of pH values. against a concentration gradient.
activation energy the minimum energy that colliding average bond energy a general bond energy value used
particles must possess for a successful collision that results for a particular bond, e.g. a C H, when the exact
in a reaction to take place. bond energy is not required. Average bond energies are
active site (of an enzyme) the pocket on an enzyme often used because the strength of a bond between two
surface where the substrate binds and undergoes particular types of atom is slightly different in different
catalytic reaction. compounds.
active transport the movement of a substance against a Avogadro constant the number of atoms (or ions,
concentration gradient. molecules or electrons) in a mole of atoms (or ions,
acyl chloride a reactive organic compound related to molecules or electrons): its numerical value is 6.02 1023.
a carboxylic acid, with the OH group in the acid azo dyes coloured compounds formed on the addition
replaced by a Cl atom, for example ethanoyl chloride, of phenol (or another aryl compound) to a solution
CH3COCl. containing a diazonium ion. They contain the
addition reaction an organic reaction in which two reactant N N group.
molecules combine to give a single product molecule. base a proton (hydrogen ion) acceptor.
addition polymerisation the reaction in which monomers bidentate ligands which can form two co-ordinate bonds
containing carbon-to-carbon double bonds react together from each ion or molecule to the central transition
to form long-chain molecules called polymers. metal ion.
adsorption (in catalysis) the first stage in heterogeneous biofuels renewable fuels, sourced from plant or
catalysis molecules of reactants (usually gases) form animal materials.
bonds with atoms on the surface of the catalyst. boiling point the temperature at which the vapour pressure
alkali a base which is soluble in water. is equal to the atmospheric pressure.
alkaline earth metals the elements in Group II of the Boltzmann distribution a graph showing the distribution
Periodic Table. of energies of the particles in a sample at a given
alkanes saturated hydrocarbons with the general temperature.
formula CnH2n+2. bond energy/bond enthalpy the energy needed to break 1
alkenes unsaturated hydrocarbons with a carboncarbon mole of a particular bond in 1 mole of gaseous molecules.
double bond. Their general formula is CnH2n. BornHaber cycle a type of enthalpy cycle used to calculate
allotrope different crystalline or molecular forms of the same lattice energy.
element. Graphite and diamond are allotropes of carbon. BrnstedLowry theory of acids acids are proton donors
alloy a mixture of two or more metals or a metal with and bases are proton acceptors.
a non-metal. buffer solution a solution that minimises changes in
amino acid residue an amino acid unit within a pH when moderate amounts of acid or base are added.
polypeptide chain. Common forms of buffer consist of either a weak
amphoteric able to behave as both an acid and a base. acid and its conjugate base or a weak base and its
Aluminium oxide is amphoteric. conjugate acid.
anion a negatively charged ion. carbocation an alkyl group carrying a single positive charge
anode the positive electrode. on one of its carbon atoms, e.g. +CH2CH3
arenes hydrocarbons containing one or more benzene rings. catalyst a substance that increases the rate of a reaction
atomic orbitals regions of space outside the nucleus but remains chemically unchanged itself at the end of
which can be occupied by one or, at most, two electrons. the reaction.
Orbitals are named s, p, d and f. They have different cathode the negative electrode.
shapes. cation a positively charged ion.