Chemistry: Glossary

A

acid

a chemical that has a sour taste and can corrode metal

antacid

a medicine that helps to change the acidity of stomach acid

atom

the smallest building block of all matter

B

base

a chemical that has a bitter taste and is opposite of an acid

boiling point

the temperature at which a substance starts boiling and transitions to a gas state

C

chemical changes

a change to any matter that happens to the atoms that make up that matter

chemical properties

the behavior of a chemical

chemical reaction

reactions in which chemical bonds are formed or broken, and one or more substances change into entirely new substances with different properties

chemist

a scientist who studies chemistry

chemistry

the scientific study of matter; the structure, properties, and reactions of the elements and the compounds they form

component

parts or pieces that make up a larger whole

compound

when two or more elements are bound together

conductivity

the ability for electricity or heat to flow through a substance

corrode

to wear away matter such as a metal

D

density

how much mass an object has compared to its volume, determinded by the amount of space between atoms

E

electrons

particles of an atom that are negatively charged and orbit the nucleus

elements

matter that is made from only one kind of atom

evaporate

turn from liquid into vapor

F

filter

a device through which a gas or liquid is passed to separate out solid matter

formula

a recipe for a compound, usually written using letters to represent elements and numbers to represent the number of atoms

I

ignite

to catch fire

L

laboratory

a special room where scientific research and experiments take place

litmus paper

a special paper used for determining if a chemical is an acid or a base

M

magma

molten rock inside the earth that becomes lava on the surface

magnetism

the force of attraction between substances made of certain materials, such as iron, nickel, and steel

mass

the amount of matter in an object

matter

anything that has weight or mass and takes up space

melting point

the temperature at which a substance melts and transitions from a solid to a liquid state

mixture

a combination of two or more substances that are not chemically joined and can be physically separated

molecules

two or more atoms joined together by chemical bonds

N

neutralize

to cancel out; to counteract or make ineffective

neutrons

particles of an atom that are not charged and gather in the nucleus of an atom

nucleus

the collection of protons and neutrons in the center of an atom

O

orbit

to move or circle around another object

P

Periodic Table of Elements

a table which organizes the elements by their atomic number

photosynthesis

the process in which green plants use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to make their own food, giving off oxygen as a byproduct

physical changes

a change to any matter that happens to the physical look or temperature of that matter

physical properties

the color, size, temperature, feel, smell, or other way of defining how an object looks

properties

characteristics and qualities of a substance that describe and identify it

protectant

a chemical that protects fabric or leather

protons

particles of an atom that are positively charged and gather in the nucleus of an atom

S

solubility

ability of a solid to dissolve in a liquid

subatomic

smaller parts of an atom

T

toxicity

the degree to which a substance is poisonous or harmful

U

unique

being the only one of a particular kind, no others like it