IB Chemistry Topic 6 Definitions
This page contains our IB Chemistry definitions for topic 6. By learning each one of these definitions, you will fully cover the content for IB Chemistry 'Mechanisms of Chemical Change'.
activity series
A table outlining the order of how easily different elements undergo oxidation, which decreases down the list
alkane
A saturated hydrocarbon
alkene
An unsaturated hydrocarbon that contains at least one C=C double bond
amphiprotic
A substance that can either accept or donate a proton to become an acid or a base
amphoteric
A substance that can act as either an acid or a base
anode
The electrode where electrons exit the external wire and oxidation occurs
biological oxygen demand (BOD)
The amount of dissolved oxygen required to decompose organic material in water
Brønsted-Lowry acid
A substance that can donate a proton
Brønsted-Lowry base
A substance that can accept a proton
buffer solution
A solution that is able to resist pH changes when small amounts of acid or base are added
cathode
The electrode where electrons enter the external wire and reduction occurs
conjugate acid
The base that has accepted a proton and can now donate one
conjugate base
The acid that has donated a proton and can now accept one
electrochemical series
A table showing the standard electrode potentials for each reaction
electrolysis
The forcing of non-spontaneous reactions by applying a current of electricity
electrolyte
A conductive solution
electrolytic cell
A device that passes electricity from an external souce through an electrolyte to force non-spontaneous reactions to occur
electrophile
A substance that is attracted to electrons
electrophilic substitution
A reaction in which an electrophile reacts to swap ligands
electroplating
An industrial method used to coat one metal with a thin layer of another metal using electrolysis
half-cell
A metal in contact with an aqueous solution of its own ions
indicator
A weak acid or base who's ionised (In-) form is a different color than its unionised (Hin) form
Lewis acid
A substance that can accept a pair of electrons
Lewis base
A substance that can donate a pair of electrons
nucleophile
A substance that is attracted to nuclei
nucleophilic substitution reaction
A reaction in which a nucleophile is bumped out of a molecule by a more electronegative reagent
oxidizing agent
A substance that oxidizes another substance and itself undergoes reduction
pH
Stands for power of hydrogen. pH is a measure of acidity
pOH
Stands for power of hydroxide. pOH is a measure of alkalinity
positive inductive effect
The drawing of electrons from surrounding carbons from a positive tertiary/secondary carbon
reducing agent
A substance that reduces another substance and itself undergoes oxidation
strong acid
An acid that completely dissociates into its ions
strong base
A base that completely dissociates into its ions
the standard electrode potential
The voltage produced by a half-cell compared to the standard hydrogen electrode
the standard electromotive force
A force generated by a voltaic cell that moves electrons from the anode to the cathode via the circuit
the standard hydrogen electrode (SHE)
A platinum electrode in 1.0mol/dm3 H2 gas and [H+] solution at STP with a standard electrode potential of 0V
titration
A technique used to find the unknown concentration of a solution by reacting it dropwise with a standard solution
universal indicator
An mixture of indicators that has an endpoint where it changes color
Voltaic cell
A device that converts energy from spontaneous exothermic reactions to electricity
weak acid
An acid that partially dissociates into its ions
weak base
A base that partially dissociates into its ions
Winkler Method
The application of redox to measure the biological oxygen demand
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