AS Chemistry Important Terms & Definitions

Acids are chemical species that donate protons/hydrogen ions. Strong acids completely
dissociate into ions in aqueous solutions. Weak acids only dissociate partially in aqueous
solutions.

Activation energy is the minimum amount of energy needed before a reaction can occur.

Addition reaction is the joining of two molecules to form a single product molecule.

Addition Polymers are polymers formed by repeated addition reactions.

Relative Atomic Mass is the weighted average of the masses of an element's isotopes
relative to one twelth of the mass of a Carbon 12 atom.

Atomic Number is the number of protons in the nucleus of each atom in an element.

A Base is a chemical species which accept protons/hydrogen ions.

Bond enthalpy is the amount of energy required to break one mole of a bond in a gaseous
molecule

Catalysts are substances that increase the rate of chemical reaction by providing an
alternative pathway of lower activation energy, but which are left unchanged by the reaction.

Chiral centres (also known as asymmetric carbon atoms) is an atom in a molecule which
is bonded to four different chemical groups, giving rise to optical isomerism.

Acid base Conjugate pairs are two molecules or ions that differ by one hydrogen ion

Dative or co-ordinate covalent bonds is a covalent bond where both electrons come from
the same atom.

A Dynamic equilibrium occurs when, for a reversible reaction, the forward and reverse
reactions occur at the same rate, so there is no change in net concentration. This must
occur in a closed system

Electronegativity is the ability of an atom to attract bonding electrons in a covalent bond.

An electrophile is an atom or group of atoms which is attracted to an electron-rich centre

or atom where it accepts a pair of electrons to form a covalent bond.

Empirical formula shows the simplest whole number ratio of elements in a compound.
An enantiomer is a molecule with a chiral centre which can exist in two forms (two optical
isomers). They can be distinguished by the direction in which they rotate a plane of
polarised light or by certain enzyme reactions.

Relative Formula Mass is the sum of the atomic masses in a compound, giving the mass
of the compound relative to one twelth of the mass of a carbon-12 atom.

A free radical is an atom or group of atoms with an unpaired electron.

The Functional Group is the specific atom or group of atoms within a molecule which are
responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of that molecule other molecules in
the same homologous series.

General formula is the formula which may be written for members of the same homologous
series.

Ground state is the lowest allowed energy state of an atom, molecule or ion.

Hess's Law states that the total energy change for a chemical reaction is independent of
the route by which the energy change occurs.

Heterolytic fission is when a compound breaks to form a positive ion and a negative ion.

Homolytic Fission is when a compound breaks to form two free radicals.

First ionisation energy is the energy required to remove one mole of electrons from each
atom in one mole of gaseous atoms of an element

Isomers are chemical species with the same number and types of atoms as another
chemical species, but possessing different properties.

Structural isomerism occurs when two species have the same molecular formula but a
different structural formula.

Chain isomers occur when the carbon skeletons of the molecules are different.

Functional group isomers occur when the molecules belong to different homologous
series.

Positional isomers occur when the molecules have the same functional group but it occurs
in a different place on the carbon skeleton

Stereoisomers have the same structural formula but different spacial arrangements.

Geometric cis-trans isomers occur when the carbon to carbon double bond cannot freely
rotate, so some alkenes with additional functional groups either side of the double bond
can exist in cis or trans form.
An isotope occurs when atoms of the same element with the same number of protons have
different numbers of neutrons

Molar mass is the mass of one mole of a substance

A mole is a unit of amount for substances - 6.02 times 10 to the power of 23.

Mole fraction is, for a mixture, the number of moles of a substance divided by the total
number of moles of all components of the mixture.

Relative molecular mass is the sum of the atomic masses in a molecule, giving the mass
of the molecule relative to one twelth the mass of a carbon-12 atom.

A nucleophile is a chemical with a lone pair of electrons which is attracted to a positively

charged centre where it donates the electron pair forming a dative bond.

Optical activity is the ability of a substance to rotate a plane of polarised light, a

characteristic of a substance with a chiral centre.

A racemic mixture is a fifty fifty mixture of positive and negative enantiomers which does
not rotate a plane of polarised light.

A saturated hydrocarbon only contains single carbon to carbon bonds

Standard enthalpy change of atomisation is the energy change when one mole of
gaseous atoms is formed from an element in standard conditions.

Standard enthalpy change of combustion is the energy change when one mole of
gaseous atoms reacts completely with oxygen under standard conditions

Standard enthalpy change of formation is the enthalpy change when one mole of a
compound is formed from its elements under standard conditions with all elements in their
standard states.

Standard enthalpy change of reaction is the enthalpy change when the amounts of
reactants as shown in the balanced equation react together under standard conditions to
give products in their standard states.

A substitution reaction occurs when an atom or group of atoms is replaced by a different

atom or group of atoms.

An unsaturated hydrocarbon is an organic compound containing at least one carbon to

carbon double or triple bond.