Important chemistry Definition

Isotopes: - Atoms of the same element having the same atomic number but different number of protons

Mole: - (in terms of mass) One mole of any substance is its relative atomic mass or relative molecular
mass expressed in grams;

(In terms of volume) One mole of any substance occupies a volume of 24dm3 at r.t.p.

(In terms of number of particles) One mole of any substance contains the same number of particles
equal to 6.02 x 1023 [Avogadro’s number/constant]

Limiting Reagent: - The reactant that gets totally used up in a reaction is called a limiting reagent

Excess Reagent: - The reactant that remains in excess after the reaction completes is called excess
reagent

Relative Atomic Mass: - It is an averaged out mass of all the isotopes of an element compared to 1/12th
part of one atom of carbon-12 the mass of which is taken exactly as 12.

Relative Molecular Mass: - The mass of one molecule of a substance as compared to 1/12th of an atom of
carbon-12 or C12 the mass of which is taken as exactly 12

Avogadro’s Constant: - The relative atomic mass in grams of all the elements contain the same number
of atoms. This number is 6.02 x 1023 and is called Avogadro’s constant.

Empirical Formula: - The formula which gives the simplest ratio between atoms of different elements
present in one molecule of a compound.

Molecular Formula: - The formula which gives the actual ratio between atoms of different elements
present in one molecule of a compound.

Shells: - The paths or orbits on which electrons revolve around a nucleus.

Orbitals: - A region around the nucleus where the probability of finding an electron is maximum

Ground State: - The original state of an atom before any energy is given to it is called ground state.

Atomic Radius: - Half the distance between the nuclei of two similar neighboring bonded atoms.

1st Ionization Energy: - The energy required to remove completely one mole of most loosely bounded
(valence) electrons of isolated gaseous atoms in their ground state to for one mole of unipositive ions is
called the first ionization energy.

2nd Ionisation Energy: - The energy required to remove completely one mole of most loosely bounded
electron from one mole of isolated gaseous unipositive ions in their ground state to form one mole of
dipositive ions is called the 2nd ionization energy.

Penultimate Shell: - Penultimate is the shell immediately inner to the outermost (valence) shell.

Ionic Bond: - A bond formed by the complete transference of electrons from one electron to the other.

Covalent Bond: - A bond formed by mutual sharing of electrons between two atoms.
Bond pair: - Any shared electron pair between two atoms is called a bond pair of electrons.

Lone Pair: - Any electron pair in the valence shell of any bonded atom that is not involved in bonding is
called a lone pair of electrons.

Coordinate Covalent Bond: - The type of covalent bond in which shared electron pair provided by one of
the two bonded atoms.

Donor: - The atom which donates the electron pair is called the donor.

Acceptor: - The atom which accepts the electron pair is called acceptor.

Molecular Orbital: - The orbital formed by the overlap of two atomic orbitals and hence the formation of
a molecular orbital is actually the formation of a covalent bond.

Atomic Orbital: - The orbital of an atom in which there is no overlapping, hence no covalent bond occurs.

The Basic Concept Of Molecular Orbital Theory: - The basic and general concept of this theory is that
when two partially filled atomic orbitals overlap, they form a molecular orbital of lower energy (hence a
covalent bond).

Sigma Bond: - A single covalent bond formed between two atoms is called a sigma bond.

Pi (π) Bond: - Generally the second or third bond formed in a double or triple covalent bond is a pi bond.

Electronegativity (EN): - The relative ability of an atom of an element to attract a shared pair of electron
closer to itself.

Polar Covalent Bond: - Different atoms with different EN values form polar covalent bonds.

Non-polar Covalent Bonds: - Similar atoms with same EN values.

Bond Energy: - The average energy required to break one mole of a particular bond. (kJ mole-1 )

Bond Length: - The distance between the nuclei of the two bonded atoms.

The VSEPR Theory (Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory): - This theory explains the shapes of
molecules in three-dimensional space. It generally states that the electron pairs at the central atoms in a
molecule decide the shape of the molecule.

Rules or postulates: -

1) Each electron pair tries to separate itself as much as possible from the other electron pairs.
2) The order of repulsion of the electron pairs is as follows:
lone pair – lone pair repulsion > lone – bond pair > bond – bond pair repulsion
3) The bond angles around the central atom also depend upon the electronegativity of the bonded
atom

Dipole: - A molecule has a dipole means that it has a net effect of polarity in the molecule and so there
are centers of positive and negative charges present.

Metallic Bonding: - In metals, the metal atoms lose their valence electrons to form metal cations. These
electrons, called the free electrons are delocalized throughout the metal crystal and are said to form ‘a
sea of electrons’ in which metal cations are immersed as islands. This bonding between metals is called
metallic bonding.

Polarization: - The distortion of electron density on a particle is called polarization.

Polarizing Power: - The power of a cation to distort the electron density around an anion is called
polarizing power.

Polarizability: - The tendency of an electron density to be distorted on an anion is called the

polarizability.

Kinetic Molecular Theory for Ideal Gases:

1) The molecules of a gas are in a state of continuous random motion.

2) The volume of a gas molecule is negligible as compared to the total volume of the gas.
3) There are no attractive forces between the gas molecules (hence no repulsive forces either)
4) The collisions between the gas molecules are perfectly elastic.
5) The kinetic energy of the gas molecules is directly proportional to the absolute temperature. (Ek
α T)

Boyle’s Law: - At constant temperature the volume of a given mass of gas is inversely proportional to it
pressure.
V α 1/p if T is constant
V = k/p where k is the constant of proportionality
pV = k = constant

p1V1 = p2V2 = … = constant

Charle’s Law: - At constant pressyre, the volume of a given mass of a gas is directly proportional to its
absolute temperature.
V α T if p is constant
V = kT k is the constant of proportionality
V/T = k = constant
i.e. V1T1 = V2T2 = … = constant

Avogardo’s Law: - Under similar conditions of temperature and pressure equal quantities of all gases
occupy the same volume.
V α n if p and T are constant
V = kn k is the constant of proportionality
V/n = k = constant
i.e. V1/n1 = V2/n2 = … = constant

Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressure: - According to this law, ‘The total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases
is equal to the sum of partial pressures of all these gases if enclosed separately.”

Melting: - The change of state from solid to liquid at a constant temperature is called melting.

Vaporization: - The change from liquid to gas at a constant maximum temperature i.e. boiling point.
Vapor Pressure: - The pressure exerted by the vapors of a liquid in equilibrium with the liquid at a
particular temperature.

Chemical Kinetics: - It is defined as that branch of chemistry which deals with the rate of reaction and
the factors that govern these rates.

Rate of Reaction: - The rate of a reaction is expressed either in terms of any one of the reactants
consumed per unit time or in the terms of any one of the products formed per unit time.

Rate Law: - According to this law, the rate of a reaction depends on the concentration of the reactants
raised to appropriate powers at a given particular temperature.

Collision Theory: -
According to this theory:

 The reactant particles must collide with one another to make a reaction occur
 All collisions are not fruitful (or successful)
 Only those collisions are successful in which the energy of the particles (involved in collisions)
are equal to or greater than a certain minimum amount of energy called the activation energy
(Ea)
 Any factor that increases the frequency of collisions or the energies of collisions – or both –
increases the rate of reaction and vice versa.

Catalyst: - A substance that alters the rate of a reaction (usually speeds up) without itself being
chemically consumed during the course of reaction.

Enzymes: - They are certain substances which act as catalyst in biological systems (in living organisms).
They are quite specific in their functions but have remarkably high efficiency.

Oxidation: - Oxidation is the loss of electrons

Reduction: - Reduction is the gain of electrons

Electrolyte: - Electrolytes are compounds that allow electricity to pass through them in molten or
aqueous or both forms.

Electrolysis: - Electrolysis generally implies the breaking of a compound into its elements and it is the
name given to the chemical reactions occurring at the electrodes.

Enthalpy (heat) Change: - The total energy of a substance due to its physical state and internal structure
is called enthalpy. (H)

Exothermic Reactions: - In exothermic reactions, lesser amount of energy (heat) is absorbed and higher
amount of heat is released. Thus overall enthalpy change (ΔH) is release of energy (negative)

Endothermic Reactions: - These reactions absorb more heat than they release.

Activation Energy: - The minimum amount of energy required to make a reaction occur (initiate a
reaction) is called activation energy.
Bond Energy: - The energy absorbed when a bond is broken or released when a bond is formed is called
a bond energy.

Hess’s Law: - The total enthalpy change of a reaction is the same as it is dependent on the initial and
final states of the system and is independent of the pathway followed provided the conditions are kept
constant.

Reversible Reactions: - Reactions which occur in both the forward and the backward directions
simultaneously.

Dynamic Equilibrium: It is a stage in a reversible reaction where the rate of forward reaction (decreasing
from maximum) becomes equal to the rate of backward reaction (increasing from zero onwards).

Le Chatelier’s Principle: - According to this Principle when a system at dynamic equilibrium is subjected
to a stress the system readjusts itself in order to counter balance the effect of that stress and hence
attain a new dynamic equilibrium.

Law of Chemical Equilibrium: - According to this law, the equilibrium constant Kc is defined as the ratio
between the product of the equilibrium concentration of the products and the product of the
equilibrium concentration of the reactants raised to the appropriate powers at a given temperature.

Heterogeneous Equilibrium: - It is an equilibrium in which the substances in the equilibrium mixture are
present in more than one phase.

Bronsted-Lowry Theory of Acids and Bases: - According to this theory an Acid is a substance (species)
that donates or tends to donate a proton (H+) and a base is a substance/species which accepts or tends
to accept a proton (H+)

Periodicity: - Property of repetition of properties, events, etc. after a regular interval.

Disproportionation Reactions: - Reaction in which an element is oxidized and reduced simultaneously

Organic Compounds: - Chemistry of carbon compounds.

Hydrocarbons: - Compounds containing only C and H

Homologous Series: - series which have the same functional group and every successive member differs
in composition by the addition of –CH2- group.

Functional Group: - A bond, atom or group of atoms responsible for the characteristic properties of a
homologous series.

Isomerism: - The phenomenon of molecules with the same molecular formula but different structures.

Structural Isomerism: - Same molecular formula but different structural formula.

Stereoisomerism: - same molecular and structural formulae but different spatial arrangements.

Enantiomers: - two optical isomers

Optical Isomerism: - Same molecular and structural formula but differ in the spatial arrangement around
a chiral carbon in a compound.
Homolytic Fission: - If a covalent bond breaks in a way that both the atoms get one electron each then it
is hemolytic fission.

Heterolytic Fission: - If a covalent bond breaks in a way that one of the two bonded atoms gets both the
electrons then heterolytic fission.

Free Radicals: - Species with unpaired numbers of electrons, which are quite reactive and are formed as
intermediates in reactions.

Nucleophiles: - Nucleophiles are reagents (anion or molecules), electron rich which attack or are
attracted to positive centers on a molecule.

Electrophiles: - Electrophiles are reagents (cation or molecule), electron deficient which attack or are
attracted to negative centers in a molecule.

Substitution Reaction: - It’s a type of reaction in which one atom or a group of atoms in a molecule is
replaced by another atom or group of atoms.

Addition Reaction: - A reaction in which two atoms or a group of atoms are added across a carbon to
carbon double bond.

Markownikoff’s Rule: - In addition of a non-symmetrical reagent to a non-symmetrical alkene, the

hydrogen of the non-symmetrical reagent will be added to that double-bonded carbon which already
contains greater number of hydrogens.

Polymerisation: - Polymerisation is the process in which small molecules called monomers repeatedly
join together to form large molecules called polymers.

Addition Polymerisation: - The type of Polymerisation in which the monomers (usually unsaturated
compounds) repeatedly add up together without the removal of any small molecule as a byproduct.