SAMPLE
AAcid according to Arrhenius: Dissociates in water to produce H+/H3O + ions.
Acid according to Bronsted Lowry: Proton (H+) donor.
Acid-Base Indicator: Substance that changes colour according to the pH of the solution it is placed in.
Activation Energy: Minimum combined energy of colliding particles required for an effective collision/for the formation of products.
Active Electrode: Reacts with the electrolyte in which it is placed.
Addition Reaction: Two or more molecules react to form a single molecule.
Adsorption: Attachment of liquid or gaseous molecules to a solid surface
Amphoteric: Substance that can act as either an acid or a base
Aromatic Compound: Compounds containing a benzene ring
Atom: Smallest part of an element that shows the element’s properties
Atomic (Covalent) Radius: Half the distance between the nuclei of two atoms of the same element joined by a single covalent bond
Atomic number: Number of protons in the nucleus
Atomic Orbital: Space/Region around the nucleus of an atom where there is a high probability of finding an electron
Aufbau Principle: Electrons must fill the lowest available sub-levels first
Autocatalysis: One of the products of the reaction acts as a catalyst for the reaction
Aliphatic Compound: Compounds where carbon atoms from open chains or closed rings but does not contain a benzene ring
Alpha Particle: Two protons and two neutrons emitted by radioactive isotopes attempting to become stable - identical to a helium nucleus, has a +2 charge, low penetrating ability
Auto-Ignition/Knocking: Premature ignition of the petrol-air mixture before a spark is produced by spark plugs
SAMPLE
Avogadro’s Law: Equal volumes of gases under the same conditions of temperature and pressure have equal numbers of molecules and equal numbers of moles
BBackground radiation: Radiation naturally present in the environment
Base according to Arrhenius: Dissociates in water to produce OH –(hydroxide) ions
Base according to Bronsted Lowry: Proton (H+) acceptor
Base Hydrolysis Reaction: Ester is reacted with a base to form soap and an alcohol
Beta Particle: Electron emitted by radioactive isotopes attempting to become stable - has a -1 charge, moderate penetrating ability
BOD/Biochemical Oxygen Demand: Amount of dissolved oxygen consumed by biological action when a sample of water is kept at 20°C in the dark for 5 days
CCatalyst: A substance that alters the rate of a chemical reaction without being used up in the reaction
Catalytic Converter: Device in the exhaust of a motor vehicle that uses catalysts to convert harmful gases in the exhausts into less harmful gases
Catalytic Cracking: Using heat and a catalyst to break down long chained hydrocarbons for which there is low demand into shorter chained molecules for which there is a greater demand
Charles’ Law: Volume of a fixed mass of gas is directly proportional to its temperature at constant pressure
Chemical Equilibrium: Dynamic state where the rate of the forward reaction is equal to the rate of the reverse reaction
Compound: Two or more different elements chemically combined
SAMPLE
Bond Energy: Average energy required to break one mole of a particular covalent bond and to separate the neutral atoms completely
Boyle’s Law: Volume of a fixed mass of gas is inversely proportional to its pressure at constant temperature
Concentration: Amount of solute that is dissolved in a given amount of solution
Condensation Reaction: Two different molecules combine to form a larger, more complex molecule with the loss of a molecule of water
The Leaving Certificate Chemistry syllabus is a long and challenging course. It is quite normal for students to feel a little lost and overwhelmed. The goal of this book is to break down and isolate the concepts into easily learnable definitions.
Enda has been a Chemistry & Biology teacher for the past 15 years. The past five of which have been in the Institute of Education, Dublin. He has a passion for teaching and aims to help his students both enjoy and understand clearly the various topics on the course.
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