A- Absolute Alcohol to Azimuthal Quantum Number
Abacus: An early counting tool used for basic arithmetic
absolute alcohol - common name for high purity ethanol or ethyl alcohol
absolute error - expression of the uncertainty or inaccuracy of a measurement
absolute temperature - temperature measured using the Kelvin scale
absolute uncertainty - the uncertainty of a scientific measurement, given in the same units as the measurement
Absolute Value: Always a positive number, absolute value refers to the distance of a number from 0.
absolute zero - the lowest possible state at which matter can exist, 0 K or -273.15°C
absorbance - measure of the amount of light absorbed by a sample
absorption - process by which atoms, ions, or molecules enter a bulk phase
absorption spectroscopy - technique used to determine concentration and structure of a sample based on which wavelengths of liquid are absorbed
absorption spectrum - graph of amount of absorption as a function of wavelength
absorptivity - absorption cross section of extinction coefficient, which is the absorbance of a solution per unit path length and concentration
abstract algebra: the area of modern mathematics that considers algebraic structures to be sets with operations defined on them, and extends algebraic concepts usually associated with the real number system to other more general systems, such as groups, rings, fields, modules and vector spaces
accuracy - the closeness of a measurement to a true or accepted value
acid - a chemical species that accepts electrons or donate protons or hydrogen ions
acid anhydride - a nonmetal oxide that reacts with water to form an acidic solution
acid dissociation constant - Ka - a quantitative measure of how strong an acid is
acid-base indicator - a weak acid or weak base that changes color when the concentration of hydrogen or hydroxide ions changes in an aqueous solution
acid-base titration - a procedure to find the concentration of an acid or base by reacting a known concentration with the unknown until the equivalence point is reached
acidic solution - an aqueous solution with a pH less than 7.0
actinides - Usually, the actinides are considered to be elements 90 (thorium) through 103 (lawrencium) Otherwise, the actinides are defined according to their common properties
actinium - the name for the element with atomic number 89 and is represented by the symbol Ac It is a member of the actinide group
activated complex - an intermediate state at the maximum energy point on the reaction path that occurs as reactants are being converted into product in a chemical reaction
activation energy - Ea - the minimum amount of energy needed for a chemical reaction to occur
active transport - the movement of molecules or ions from a region of lower concentration to higher concentration; requires energy
activity series - list of metals ranked in order of decreasing activity, used to predict which metals displace others in aqueous solutions
actual yield - the quantity of product experimentally obtained from a chemical reaction
Acute angle – An angle which measures below 90°.
Acute Angle: An angle whose measure is between 0° and 90° or with less than 90° radians
Acute coronary syndrome: decreased blood flow in the coronary arteries resulting in reduced circulation rate and inadequate oxygenation of the myocardial muscle
acute health effect - the effect caused by initial exposure to a chemical
Acute Kidney Injury (AKI): Abrupt loss of kidney function that develops within 7 days, it is a broad clinical syndrome encompassing various etiologies, including specific kidney diseases, which can occur in the community, as well as in the hospital or ICU
Acute triangle – A triangle containing only acute angles.
acyl group - a functional group with the formula RCO- where R is bound to carbon via a single bond
Addend: A number involved in an addition problem; numbers being added are called addends
Additive inverse – The opposite of a number or its negative A number plus its additive inverse equals 0
Adjacent angles – Angles with a common side and vertex.
adsorption - the adhesion of a chemical species onto a surface
adulterant - a chemical that acts as a contaminant in the context of another substance's purity
aether - a medium believed to carry light waves in the 18th and 19th century
air - the mixture of gases that make up the Earth's atmosphere, consisting mainly of nitrogen, with oxygen, water vapor, argon, and carbon dioxide
alchemy -Several definitions of alchemy exist Originally, alchemy was an ancient tradition of sacred chemistry used to discern the spiritual and temporal nature of reality, its structure, laws, and functions
alcohol - a substance that contains an -OH group attached to a hydrocarbon
algebra: a branch of mathematics that uses symbols or letters to represent variables, values or numbers, which can then be used to express operations and relationships and to solve equations
Algebra: The branch of mathematics that substitutes letters for numbers to solve for unknown values
algebraic equation: a combination of numbers and letters equivalent to a sentence in language, e.g y = x2 + 3x – 4
algebraic expression: a combination of numbers and letters equivalent to a phrase in language, e.g x2 + 3x – 4
Algorithm: A procedure or set of steps used to solve a mathematical computation
algorithm: a step by step procedure by which an operation can be carried out
aliphatic amino acid - amino acid that has an aliphatic side chain
aliphatic compound - an organic compound containing carbon and hydrogen joined into straight chains, branches chains, or non-aromatic rings
aliphatic hydrocarbon - a hydrocarbon containing carbon and hydrogen joined into straight chains, branches chains, or non-aromatic rings
alkali metal - any element found in group IA (first column) of the periodic table
alkaline - an aqueous solution with a pH greater than 7
alkalinity - a quantitative measure of a solution's ability to neutralize an acid
Alkalinity is a measure of how basic a substance is
alkene - a hydrocarbon containing a double carbon-carbon bond
alkenyl group - the hydrocarbon group formed when a hydrogen atom is removed from an alkene group
alkoxide - an organic functional group formed when a hydrogen atom is removed from the hydroxyl group of an alcohol when it is reacted with a metal
alkoxy group - functional group containing an alkyl group bonded to oxygen
allotrope - a form of an elemental substance
alloy - substance made by melting together two or more elements, at least one of which must be a metal
alpha decay - spontaneous radioactive decay which produces an alpha particle or helium nucleus
alpha radiation - the ionizing radiation released from radioactive decay emitting an alpha particle
aluminum or aluminium - the name for the element with atomic number 13 and is represented by the symbol Al It is a member of the metal group
amalgam - any alloy of mercury and one or more other metals
americium - radioactive metal with element symbol Am and atomic number 95
amicable numbers: pairs of numbers for which the sum of the divisors of one number equals the other number, e.g 220 and 284, 1184 and 1210
amide - functional group containing a carbonyl group linked to a nitrogen atom
amine - compound in which one or more hydrogen atom in ammonia is replaced by an organic functional group
amino acid - an organic acid containing a carboxyl (-COOH) and amine (-NH2) functional group along with a side chain
amorphous - term describing a solid that does not have crystalline structure
amphiprotic - species that can both accept and donate a proton or hydrogen ion
amphoteric - substance capable of acting as either an acid or a base
amphoteric oxide - oxide that can act as either an acid or a base in a reaction to produce a salt and water
Amplification: a technique, usually using enzymes, for multiplying nucleic acids in order to increase the sensitivity of detection methods
amu - atomic mass unit or 1/12th the mass of an unbound atom of carbon-12
analysis (mathematical analysis): grounded in the rigorous formulation of calculus, analysis is the branch of pure mathematics concerned with the notion of a limit (whether of a sequence or of a function)
analytic (Cartesian) geometry: the study of geometry using a coordinate system and the principles of algebra and analysis, thus defining geometrical shapes in a numerical way and extracting numerical information from that representation
analytical chemistry - chemistry discipline that studies the chemical composition of materials and tools used to examine them
Angle – Created by two rays and containing an endpoint in common
Angle Bisector: The line dividing an angle into two equal angles
Angle: Two rays sharing the same endpoint (called the angle vertex)
angstrom - unit of length equal to 10-10 meters
angular momentum quantum number - ℓ, the quantum number associated with the angular momentum of an electron
anhydrous - describes a substance that does not contain water or else is as concentrated as it can get
anion - an ion with a negative electrical charge
anode - electron where oxidation occurs; positive charged anode
Antibiotic resistance: a microorganism’s natural ability to withstand the effects of antibiotics: taking an antibiotic puts selective pressure on bacteria, eliminating bacteria that are susceptible to the antibiotic and selecting resistant bacteria, which then multiply
Antibiotic susceptibility testing: determines the growth of a bacterium in the presence of antibiotics and classifies it as susceptible, resistant or intermediate
Antibiotic: a substance of natural or synthetic origin capable of stopping the multiplication of bacteria
Antibody: a molecule produced by the immune system to detect and neutralize pathogens, in particular viruses
antibonding orbital - molecular orbital with an electron outside the region between the two nuclei
Antigens: a foreign substance in an organism which triggers the production of an antibody (immune reaction)
anti-Markovnikov addition - an addition reaction between an electrophilic compound HX and either an alkene or alkyne in which the hydrogen atom bonds to the carbon with the least number of hydrogen atoms and X bonds to the other carbon
antimony - Antimony is the name for the element with atomic number 36 and is represented by the symbol Kr It is a member of the metalloid group
anti-periplanar - periplanar conformation where the dihedral atom between atoms is between 150° and 180°
aqua regia - mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids, capable of dissolving gold, platinum, and palladium
aqueous - describes a system containing water
aqueous solution - a solution in which water is the solvent
Arc – A set of points that lie on a circle and that are positioned within a central angle
Area – The space contained within a shape
Area: The two-dimensional space taken up by an object or shape, given in square units
argon - Argon is the name for the element with atomic number 18 and is represented by the symbol Ar It is a member of the noble gases group
arithmetic: the part of mathematics that studies quantity, especially as the result of combining numbers (as opposed to variables) using the traditional operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and division (the more advanced manipulation of numbers is usually known as number theory)
aromatic compound - an organic molecule that contains a benzene ring
Array: A set of numbers or objects that follow a specific pattern
Arrhenius acid - species that dissociates in water to form protons or hydrogen ions
Arrhenius base - species that increases the number of hydroxide ions when added to water
arsenic - metalloid with element symbol As and atomic number 33
aryl - a functional group derived from a simple aromatic ring when one hydrogen is removed from the ring
associative property: property (which applies both to multiplication and addition) by which numbers can be added or multiplied in any order and still yield the same value, e.g (a + b) + c = a + (b + c) or (ab)c = a(bc)
astatine - Astatine is the name for the element with atomic number 85 and is represented by the symbol At It is a member of the halogen group
asymptote: a line that the curve of a function tends towards as the independent variable of the curve approaches some limit (usually infinity) i.e the distance between the curve and the line approaches zero
atmosphere - surrounding gases, such as the gases surrounding a planet that are held in place by gravity
atom - the defining unit of an element, which cannot be subdivided using chemical means
atomic mass - average mass of atoms of an element
atomic mass unit (amu) - 1/12th the mass of an unbound atom of carbon-12, used to represent atomic and molecular masses
atomic number - the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom of an element
atomic radius - value used to describe the size of an atom, usually half the distance between two atoms just touching each other
atomic solid - solid in which atoms are bonded to other atoms of the same type
atomic volume - volume occupied by one mole of an element at room temperature
atomic weight - average mass of atoms of an element
ATP - ATP is the acronym for the molecule adenosine triphosphate
Attribute: A characteristic or feature of an object—such as size, shape, color, etc.—that allows it to be grouped
Aufbau principle - idea that electrons are added to orbitals as protons are added to an atom
austenite - the face-centered cubic crystalline form of iron
Average – The numerical result of dividing the sum of two or more quantities by the number of quantities.
Average: The average is the same as the mean Add up a series of numbers and divide the sum by the total number of values to find the average
Avogadro's Law - relation that states equal volumes of all gases contain the same number of molecules at the same pressure and temperature
Avogadro's number - the number of particles in one mole of a substance; 6.0221 x 1023
axiom: a proposition that is not actually proved or demonstrated, but is considered to be self-evident and universally accepted as a starting point for deducing and inferring other truths and theorems, without any need of proof
azeotrope - a solution that retains its chemical composition when distilled
azimuthal quantum number - the quantum number associated with the angular momentum of an electron, determining the shape of its orbital
back titration - titration in which the analyte concentration is determined by reacting it with a known quantity of excess reagent
background radiation - radiation from external sources, typically from cosmic radiation and radioisotope decay
Bacterium: a unicellular microorganism lacking chlorophyll and visible only under a microscope Bacteria do not belong to either the plant or the animal kingdom
balanced equation - chemical equation in which the number and type of atoms and the electric charge is the same on both the reactant and product sides of the equation
Balmer series - the part of the hydrogen emission spectrum for electron transitions n=2 and n>2, There are four lines in the visible spectrum
Bar Graph: A graph that represents data visually using bars of different heights or lengths
barium - alkaline earth metal with element symbol Ba and atomic number 56
barometer - instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure
base - chemical species that either accepts protons or else donates electrons or hydroxide ions
Base 10: Number system that assigns place value to numbers
base anhydride (basic anhydride) - a metal oxide formed from the reaction between water and a basic solution
base metal - any metal besides a precious or noble metal used for jewelry or in industry
base n: the number of unique digits (including zero) that a positional numeral system uses to represent numbers, e.g base 10 (decimal) uses 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 in each place value position; base 2 (binary) uses just 0 and 1; base 60 (sexagesimal, as used in ancient Mesopotamia) uses all the numbers from 0 to 59; etc
Base: The bottom of a shape or three-dimensional object, what an object rests on
basic - alkaline or having a pH > 7
basic solution - aqueous solution containing more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions; solution with pH > 7
Bayesian probability: a popular interpretation of probability which evaluates the probability of a hypothesis by specifying some prior probability, and then updating in the light of new relevant data
BEDMAS or PEMDAS Definition: An acronym used to help people remember the correct order of operations for solving algebraic equations BEDMAS stands for "Brackets, Exponents, Division, Multiplication, Addition, and Subtraction" and PEMDAS stands for "Parentheses, Exponents, Multiplication, Division, Addition, and Subtraction"
Beer's law (Beer-Lambert Law) - law that states the concentration of a solution is directly proportional to its light absorbance
Bell Curve: The bell shape created when a line is plotted using data points for an item that meets the criteria of normal distribution The center of a bell curve contains the highest value points
bell curve: the shape of the graph that indicates a normal distribution in probability and statistics
berkelium - radioactive metal with element symbol Bk and atomic number 97
beryllium - alkaline earth metal with element symbol Be and atomic number 4
beta decay - type of radioactive decay that results in spontaneous emission of a beta particle
beta particle - an electron or positron emitted during beta decay
beta radiation - ionizing radiation from beta decay in the form of an energetic electron or positron
bijection: a one-to-one comparison or correspondence of the members of two sets, so that there are no unmapped elements in either set, which are therefore of the same size and cardinality
binary acid - an acidic binary compound in which one element is hydrogen and the other element is another nonmetal
binary compound - a compound made up of two elements (e.g., HF)
binding energy - energy needed to remove an electron from an atom or to separate a proton or neutron from the atomic nucleus
Binomial – An expression in algebra that consists of two terms
binomial coefficients: the coefficients of the polynomial expansion of a binomial power of the form (x + y) n, which can be arranged geometrically according to the binomioal theorem as a symmetrical triangle of numbers known as Pascal’s Triangle, e.g (x + y)4 = x4 + 4x3y + 6x2y2 + 4xy3 + y4 the coefficients are 1, 4, 6, 4, 1
binomial: a polynomial algebraic expression or equation with just two terms, e.g 2x3 – 3y = 7; x2 + 4x; etc
Binomial: A polynomial equation with two terms usually joined by a plus or minus sign
biochemistry - Biochemistry is the chemistry of living things
Biochemistry: an area of science which studies the correlation between the structure of natural molecules and the consequences for their activity
Biomarker / marker: any indicator (nucleic acid, enzyme, metabolite and other types of molecules: histamines, hormones, proteins, etc.) present in the body or excreted by it as a biological response to a physiological or pathological
Bisect – To divide into two equal sections
bismuth - Bismuth is the name for the element with atomic number 83 and is represented by the symbol Bi It is a member of the metal group
bitumen - natural mixture of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
black light - a lamp that emits ultraviolet radiation or the invisible radiation emitted by it
block copolymer - copolymer formed by repeating monomer subunits
Blood culture: laboratory analysis used to detect bloodstream infections, carried out by taking a sample of venous blood, which is then cultured to reveal the presence or absence of pathogenic microbes
bohrium - transition metal with element symbol Bh and atomic number 107
boiling - phase transition from the liquid to gas state
Boiling occurs when the vapor pressure of a liquid exceeds atmospheric pressure
boiling point - temperature at which a liquid's vapor pressure is equal to the external gas pressure
boiling point elevation - the increase in a liquid boiling point caused by adding another compound to it
bond - a chemical link formed between atoms in molecules and molecules and ions in crystals
bond angle - the angle formed between two adjacent chemical bonds within the same atom
bond energy - quantity of energy needed to break one mole of molecules into component atoms
bond enthalpy - enthalpy change resulting when one mole of bonds in a species are broken at 298 K
bond length - the equilibrium distance between atomic nuclei or groups of nuclei that share a chemical bond
bond order - a measure of the number of electrons involved in chemical bonds between two atoms in a molecule; usually equal to the number of bonds between the atoms
bond-dissociation energy - energy required to homolytically break a chemical bond
Boolean algebra or logic: a type of algebra which can be applied to the solution of logical problems and mathematical functions, in which the variables are logical rather than numerical, and in which the only operators are AND, OR and NOT
boron - Boron is the name for the element with atomic number 5 and is represented by the symbol B It is a member of the semimetal group
Box and Whisker Plot/Chart: A graphical representation of data that shows differences in distributions and plots data set ranges
Boyle's law - ideal gas law that states the volume of a gas is inversely proportional to its absolute pressure, assuming constant temperature
branched chain alkane - an alkane with alkyl groups bonded to the central carbon chain The molecules are branched, but all C-C bonds are single bonds
brass - Brass is defined as an alloy of copper and zinc
bromine - Bromine is the name for the element with atomic number 35 and is represented by the symbol Br It is a member of the halogen group
Bronsted-Lowry acid - species that yields hydrogen ions
Bronsted-Lowry base - species that accepts hydrogen ions in a reaction
bronze - Bronze is an alloy of copper, usually containing tin as its main addition
buffer - either a weak acid and its salt or else a weak base and its salt that form an aqueous solution that resists pH changes
cadmium - Cadmium is the name for the element with atomic number 48 and is represented by the symbol Cd It is a member of the transition metals group
caffeine - Caffeine is a chemical substance naturally found in tea and coffee and added to colas
calcium - Calcium is the name for the element with atomic number 20 and is represented by the symbol Ca It is a member of the alkaline earth metal group
calculus (infinitesimal calculus): a branch of mathematics involving derivatives and integrals, used to study motion and changing values
calculus of variations: an extension of calculus used to search for a function which minimizes a certain functional (a functional is a function of a function)
Calculus: The branch of mathematics involving derivatives and integrals, Calculus is the study of motion in which changing values are studied
calorie - unit of thermal energy; the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water 1 degree C or K at standard pressure
calorimeter - instrument designed to measure heat flow of a chemical reaction or physical change
Campylobacter: a genus of Gram-negative bacteria that can cause food poisoning
Canceling – In multiplication of fractions, when one number is divided into both a numerator and a denominator
Candida albicans: the most important and best-known yeast species of the Candida genus It causes infections (candidiasis), mainly of the digestive and vaginal mucosa
Capacity: The volume of substance that a container will hold
capillary action - the spontaneous floe of liquid into a narrow tube or porous material
Carbapenemases: b-lactamase type enzymes which hydrolyze carbapenems, a class of antibiotics with extended-spectrum activity, mainly used for the treatment of multi-drug resistant bacterial infections
carbon - Carbon is the name for the element with atomic number 6 and is represented by the symbol C It is a member of the nonmetal group
carbonate - an ion consisting of one carbon bonded to three oxygen atoms (CO32-) or a compound containing this ion
carbonyl - functional group consisting of a carbon atom double bonded to oxygen, C=O
carboxyl group - functional group consisting of a carbon double bonded to oxygen and single bonded to a hydroxyl (-COOH)
cardinal numbers: numbers used to measure the cardinality or size (but not the order) of sets – the cardinality of a finite set is just a natural number indicating the number of elements in the set; the sizes of infinite sets are described by transfinite cardinal numbers, 0 (aleph-null), 1 (aleph-one), etc
Cartesian coordinates – Ordered number pairs that are assigned to points on a plane
Cartesian coordinates: a pair of numerical coordinates which specify the position of a point on a plane based on its distance from the the two fixed perpendicular axes (which, with their positive and negative values, split the plane up into four quadrants)
catalyst - substance that increases the chemical reaction rate by decreasing its activation energy
catenation - binding of an element to itself via covalent bonds, forming a chain or ring
cathode - electrode where reduction occurs; usually the negative electrode
cathode ray tube - a vacuum tube with a source of electrons, a fluorescent screen, and means of accelerating and deflecting the electron beam
cation - ion with a positive electrical charge
Celsius temperature scale - temperature scale where 0°C and 100°C are defined as the freezing and boiling points of water, respectively
Centimeter: A metric unit of measurement for length, abbreviated as cm 2.5 cm is approximately equal to an inch
cerium - rare earth metal with element symbol Ce and atomic number 58
cesium - Cesium is the name for the element with atomic number 55 and is represented by the symbol Cs It is a member of the alkali metal group
cetane number (CN) - value that describes the combustion quality of diesel fuel, based on the delay between injection and ignition
chain reaction - set of chemical reactions in which products become reactants of another reaction
charge - an electrical charge, a conserved property of subatomic particles determining their electromagnetic interaction
Charles's law - ideal gas law that states the volume of an ideal gas is directly proportional to absolute temperature, assuming constant pressure
chelate - organic compound formed by bonding a polydentate ligand to a central metal atom, or the act of forming such a compound
chemical - any matter or substance that has mass
chemical change - process by which one or more substances are altered to form new substances
chemical energy - energy contained in the internal structure of an atom or molecule
chemical equation - description of a chemical reaction, including the reactants, products, and direction of the reaction
chemical equilibrium - state of a chemical reaction where the concentration of the reactants and products remains stable over time
chemical formula - expression which states the number and type of atoms in a molecule
chemical kinetics - the study of chemical processes and rates of reactions
chemical property - characteristic which may be observed when matter undergoes a chemical change
chemical reaction - a chemical change in which reactants form one or more new products
chemical symbol - one- or two-letter representation of a chemical element (e.g., H, Al)
chemiluminescence - light emitted as a result of a chemical reaction
chemistry - study of matter and energy and the interactions between them
Chemistry Definitions Starting With the Letter J
Cherenkov radiation - Cherenkov radiation is the electromagnetic radiation emitted when a charged particle moves through a dielectric medium faster than the velocity of light in the medium
chiral center - the atom in a molecule bonded to four chemical species, allowing optical isomerism
chirality - Chirality or chiral describes a nonsuperimposable mirror image, like left and right hands Usually in chemistry the term is used to describe a pair of molecules that have the same formulas, but form a pair of structures
chlorine - halogen with atomic number 17 and element symbol Cl
chlorofluorocarbon - A chlorofluorocarbon or CFC is a compound that contains atoms of chlorine, fluorine, and carbon
Chord – A line segment that connects two points on a circle.
Chord: A segment joining two points on a circle
chromatography - group of techniques used to separate mixture components by passing the mixture through a stationary phase
chromium - Chromium is the name for the element with atomic number 24 and is represented by the symbol Cr It is a member of the transition metals group
Chromogen: molecule that gives off a color under certain conditions When incorporated into a culture medium, it reveals the presence of an enzyme specific to a given bacteria, thereby indicating the bacteria that is cultured
Circle – A set of points that are all the same distance from a given point.
Circumference – The distance measured around a circle.
Circumference: The complete distance around a circle or a square
closed system - thermodynamic system in which mass is conserved within the system, but energy can freely enter or exit
coagulation - the gelling or clumping of particles, usually in a colloid
cobalt - transition metal that is atomic number 27 with element symbol Co
Coefficient – A number that is placed in front of a variable. For example, in 6x, 6 is the coefficient.
Coefficient: A letter or number representing a numerical quantity attached to a term (usually at the beginning) For example, x is the coefficient in the expression x(a + b) and 3 is the coefficient in the term 3y
coefficients: the factors of the terms (i.e the numbers in front of the letters) in a mathematical expression or equation, e.g in the expression 4x + 5y2 + 3z, the coefficients for x, y2 and z are 4, 5 and 3 respectively
coenzyme - substance that works with an enzyme to aid its function or initiate its action
cohesion - measure of how well molecules stick to each other or group together
collagen - an important family of proteins found in humans and other animals, found in skin, cartilage, blood vessels, and tendons
colligative properties - properties of a solution that depend on the number of particles in a volume of solvent
colloid - a homogenous mixture in which dispersed particles do not settle out
combination reaction - reaction in which two reactants combine to form a single product
combinatorics: the study of different combinations and groupings of numbers, often used in probability and statistics, as well as in scheduling problems and Sudoku puzzles
combined gas law - law which states the ratio of the product of pressure and volume, divided by the absolute temperature, is a constant value
combustion - chemical reaction between a fuel and oxidizer that yields energy (usually heat and light)
Commensal bacteria: the skin and mucous membranes are continuously colonized by commensal bacteria that do not cause disease unless the subject is weakened
Common denominator – A number that can be divided evenly by all denominators in the problem
Common Factors: A factor shared by two or more numbers, common factors are numbers that divide exactly into two different numbers
common-ion effect - suppressing effect an electrolyte has on the ionization of another electrolyte that shares a common ion
Complementary angles – Two angles in which the sum of their measurements equals 90°.
Complementary Angles: Two angles that together equal 90°
complex dynamics: the study of mathematical models and dynamical systems defined by iteration of functions on complex number spaces
Complex fraction – A fraction that contains a fraction or fractions in the numerator and/or denominator
complex ion - ion in which a central metal ion is bonded to one or more ions or molecules
complex number: a number expressed as an ordered pair comprising a real number and an imaginary number, written in the form a + bi, where a and b are real numbers, and i is the imaginary unit (equal to the square root of -1)
composite number: a number with at least one other factor besides itself and one, i.e not a prime number
Composite Number: A positive integer with at least one factor aside from its own Composite numbers cannot be prime because they can be divided exactly
compound - chemical species formed when two or more atoms form a chemical bond
concentrated - having a large ratio of solute to solvent
concentration - an expression of the quantity of a substance in a defined volume
condensation - state of matter change from vapor phase to liquid phase
condensation reaction - chemical reaction in which one of the products is water or ammonia, also known as a dehydration reaction
condensed formula - chemical formula in which atom symbols are listed in the order they appear in the molecular structure, with limited bond dashes
conductor - material which permits the flow of energy (e.g., electrical conductor, thermal conductor)
Cone: A three-dimensional shape with only one vertex and a circular base
conformer - an isomer that differs from another isomer by rotation around a single bond
congener - member of the same group of elements of the periodic table (e.g., iodine and chlorine)
congruence: two geometrical figures are congruent to one another if they have the same size and shape, and so one can be transformed into the other by a combination of translation, rotation and reflection
Congruent – Exactly the same Identical in regard to size and shape
Congruent: Objects and figures that have the same size and shape Congruent shapes can be turned into one another with a flip, rotation, or turn
Conic Section: The section formed by the intersection of a plane and cone
conic section: the section or curve formed by the intersection of a plane and a cone (or conical surface), depending on the angle of the plane it could be an ellipse, a hyperbola or a parabola
conjugate - multiple chemistry definitions, referring to Bronsted acids and bases, a compound formed by combining other compounds, or the overlap of p-orbitals across a sigma bond
conjugate acid - HX, a compound differing from a base X by a proton
conjugate base - the species that gains a proton in an acid-base reaction
conservation of energy - law which states energy can change forms but may not be created or destroyed
conservation of mass - law that states, in a closed system, matter can change forms but not be created or destroyed
Constant: A value that does not change
Consumable: a single-use accessory, generally employed in an analysis instrument
Contaminant: a substance present where it should not be
continued fraction: a fraction whose denominator contains a fraction, whose denominator in turn contains a fraction, etc, etc
controlled variable - variable that a scientist holds constant in an experiment; the control or constant variable
conversion factor - numerical ratio that converts a measurement from one unit into another
coordinate bond - covalent bond between two atoms in which one atom supplies both electrons for the bond
Coordinate graph – Two perpendicular number lines, the x axis and the y axis, which make a plane upon which each point is assigned a pair of numbers
coordinate plane: a plane with two scaled perpendicular lines that intersect at the origin, usually designated x (horizontal axis) and y (vertical axis)
Coordinate: The ordered pair that gives a precise location or position on a coordinate plane
coordinate: the ordered pair that gives the location or position of a point on a coordinate plane, determined by the point’s distance from the x and y axes, e.g (2, 3.7) or (-5, 4)
coordination compound - compound containing one or more coordinate bonds
coordination number - number of atoms bonded to a central atom
copernicium - radioactive element with symbol Cn and atomic number 112
copper - Copper is the name for the element with atomic number 29 and is represented by the symbol Cu It is a member of the transition metals group
correlation: a measure of relationship between two variables or sets of data, a positive correlation coefficient indicating that one variable tends to increase or decrease as the other does, and a negative correlation coefficient indicating that one variable tends to increase as the other decreases and vice versa
corrosion - irreversible damage to a material or tissue due to a chemical reaction
corrosive - having the power to cause irreversible chemical damage upon contact
Corynebacterium: a genus of bacteria including many species of Gram-positive bacilli which account for a large proportion of the flora of the skin and of the mucosa
Cosine: In a right triangle, cosine is a ratio that represents the length of a side adjacent to an acute angle to the length of the hypotenuse
Coulomb's law - law which states the force between two charges is proportional to the quantity of both charges and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between them
covalent bond - chemical link between atoms or ions in which the electron pairs are more or less evenly shared between them
covalent compound - molecule that contains covalent chemical bonds
covalent radius - half the diameter of the part of an atom that participates in a covalent bond
crenation - forming a scalloped shape upon exposure to a hypertonic solution
critical point - critical state; point at which two phases of matter become indistinguishable from one another
crystal - matter in which atoms, ions, or molecules are packed into an ordered, repeating three-dimensional pattern
crystal field splitting - the difference in energy between the d orbitals of ligands
crystallize - solidification of matter into the highly ordered form of a crystal
Cube – A solid with six sides, with the sides being equal squares and the edges being equal Also, the resulting number when a number is multiplied by itself twice
Cube root – A number that when multiplied by itself twice gives the original number. For example, 4 is the cube root of 64.
cubic equation: a polynomial having a degree of 3 (i.e the highest power is 3), of the form ax3 + bx2 + cx + d = 0, which can be solved by factorization or formula to find its three roots
Culture medium: a simple or complex nutrient composition in liquid or solid form, used to maintain or increase the development of a microbial species under appropriate biological conditions
curium - radioactive metal with element symbol Cm and atomic number 96
current - rate of flow of electricity
Cylinder: A three-dimensional shape featuring two circle bases connected by a curved tube
cyrogenics - study of matter at extremely low temperatures
Cytology (or cellular biology): an area of biology concerning the study of cells and their organelles, the vital processes taking place therein as well as the mechanisms allowing for their survival (reproduction, metabolism)
Cytomegalovirus: a virus responsible for infections, usually undetected It becomes pathogenic especially in patients with weak immune defenses Member of the herpes virus family, which includes inter alia herpes simplex virus (HSV) or herpes virus hominis (HVH), cytomegalovirus (CMV), varicellazoster virus (VZV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)
Cytometry: the counting of cells
Dalton's Law - relation stating the total pressure of a gaseous mixture equals the sum of the partial pressure of the component gases
darmstadtium - Darmstadtium is the name for the element with atomic number 110 and is represented by the symbol Ds Darmstadtium was formerly known as ununnilium with symbol Uun It is a member of the transition metals group
dative bond - covalent bond between atoms in which one atom provides both electrons for the bond
daughter isotope - product formed after a radioisotope (the parent) undergoes radioactive decay
de Broglie Equation - equation describing the wave properties of matter, stated as wavelength equals Planck's constant divided by the product of mass and velocity
Decagon: A polygon/shape with ten angles and ten straight lines
decantation - method of separating mixtures by removing the liquid layer from a precipitate
Decimal fraction – Fraction with a denominator of 10, 100, 1,000, etc., written using a decimal point
decimal number: a real number which expresses fractions on the base 10 standard numbering system using place value, e.g 37⁄100 = 0.37
Decimal: A real number on the base ten standard numbering system
decomposition reaction - chemical reaction in which a single reactant yields two or more products
deductive reasoning or logic: a type of reasoning where the truth of a conclusion necessarily follows from, or is a logical consequence of, the truth of the premises (as opposed to inductive reasoning)
deflagration - type of combustion in which flame propagation is less than 100 m/s and overpressure is less than 0.5 bar
Degree – The measurement unit of an angle
Degree: The unit of an angle's measure represented with the symbol °
dehydration reaction - chemical reaction between two compounds in which one of the products is water
deliquescence - process by which a soluble substance picks up water vapor from the atmosphere to form a solution
delocalized electron - any electron in an ion, atom, or molecule that is no longer associated with a particular atom or single covalent bond
Denominator – The bottom symbol or number of a fraction
Denominator: The bottom number of a fraction The denominator is the total number of equal parts into which the numerator is being divided
density - mass per unit volume
dependent variable - variable being measured (tested) in response to changing the independent variable
deposition - settling of sediment or particles onto a surface or the phase change from the vapor to solid phase
deprotonation - chemical reaction in which a radical removes a proton from a molecule
derivative: a measure of how a function or curve changes as its input changes, i.e the best linear approximation of the function at a particular input value, as represented by the slope of the tangent line to the graph of the function at that point, found by the operation of differentiation
derived unit - an SI unit made from a combination of the base units (e.g., Newton is kg·m/s2)
descriptive geometry: a method of representing three-dimensional objects by projections on the two-dimensional plane using a specific set of procedures
desiccant - chemical agent that picks up water, often used for drying
desublimation - phase change from vapor to solid
detergent - cleaning agent with general structure R-SO4-, Na+, where R is a long-chain alkyl group
Diagonal: A line segment that connects two vertices in a polygon
diamagnetic - not attracted to a magnetic field, generally because the material does not contain unpaired electrons
Diameter – A line segment that contains the center and has its endpoints on the circle Also, the length of this segment
Diameter: A line that passes through the center of a circle and divides it in half
Difference – That which results from subtraction.
Difference: The difference is the answer to a subtraction problem, in which one number is taken away from another
differential equation: an equation that expresses a relationship between a function and its derivative, the solution of which is not a single value but a function (has many applications in engineering, physics economics, etc)
differential geometry: a field of mathematics that uses the methods of differential and integral calculus (as well as linear and multilinear algebra) to study the geometry of curves and surfaces
differentiation: the operation in calculus (inverse to the operation of integration) of finding the derivative of a function or equation
diffusion - movement of a fluid from a region of higher concentration to lower concentration
Digit: Digits are the numerals 0-9 found in all numbers 176 is a 3-digit number featuring the digits 1, 7, and 6
dilute - solution containing a small amount of solute relative to the amount of solvent
Diophantine equation: a polynomial equation with integer coefficients that also allows the variables and solutions to be integers only
dipole - a separation of electrical or magnetic charges
dipole moment - measure of the separation of two opposite electrical charges
diprotic acid - acid that can donate two hydrogen atoms or protons per molecule in an aqueous solution
direct proportion - relation between two variables such that their ratio is a constant value
disaccharide - carbohydrate formed when two monosaccharides bond, removing a molecule of water from their structure
displacement reaction - chemical reaction in which the cation or anion of one reactant is replaced by one from another reactant
disproportionation - chemical reaction (usually redox) where a molecule forms two or more dissimilar products
dissociation reaction - chemical reaction in which a reactant breaks into two or more parts
dissolve - a solute passing into solution, usually a solid going to the liquid phase
distillate - vapor formed by a distillation, which may be condensed into a liquid for collection
distillation - technique of heating a liquid to form a vapor, which is cooled to separate components of the liquid based on volatility or boilings
distributive property: property whereby summing two numbers and then multiplying by another number yields the same value as multiplying both values by the other value and then adding them together, e.g a(b + c) = ab + ac
divalent cation - positive charged ion with a valence of 2
Dividend: A number being divided into equal parts (inside the bracket in long division)
Divisor: A number that divides another number into equal parts (outside of the bracket in long division)
DNA - deoxyribonucleic acd, an organic molecule that codes for proteins
DNA sequencing: method used to determine the order of the nucleotide bases for a given DNA fragment
DNA: the acronym of "Deoxyribonucleic Acid" These nucleotides consist of a sugar (deoxyribose), a phosphate group and one of the following nitrogen-containing bases: adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G) or thymine (T), and serve as a medium for genetic information
double bond - chemical bond in which two electron pairs are shared between two atoms
double replacement reaction - chemical reaction in which two reactants exchange anions/cations to form two new products using the same ions
Dry ice is the name for solid carbon dioxide
dubnium - transition metal with element symbol Db and atomic number 105
ductile - able to be stretched into a wire without breaking
dynamic equilibrium - chemical equilibrium between the forward and reverse reaction in which the rates of reaction are equal to each other
dysprosium - rare earth metal with element symbol Dy and atomic number 66
Edge: A line is where two faces meet in a three-dimensional structure
effective nuclear charge - net charge an electron experiences in an atom that has multiple electrons
effervescence - foaming or bubbling when gas is evolved by a liquid or solid
efflorescence - process by which a hydrate loses water of hydration
effusion - movement of gas through a pore or capillary into a vacuum or another gas
einsteinium - Einsteinium is the name for the element with atomic number 99 and is represented by the symbol Es It is a member of the actinide group
elasticity - physical property of matter describing the ability to return to original shape after deformation
electrical conductivity - measure of a substance's ability to carry an electrical current
electrical resistivity - measure of how much a material resists carrying an electrical current
electrochemical cell - device that generates a potential difference between electrodes via chemical reactions
electrochemistry - scientific study of reactions and species formed at the interface between an electrolyte and a conductor, where electron transfer occurs
electrode - the anode or cathode of an electrical cell
electrolysis - passage of direct current through an ion-conducting solution, producing a chemical change at the electrodes
electrolyte - a substance that forms ions in aqueous solution
electrolytic cell - type of electrochemical cell in which the flow of electric energy from an external source enables a redox reaction
electromagnetic radiation - light; self propagating energy that has electric and magnetic field components
electromotive force - emf - the electric potential generated by either an en electrochemical cell or changing magnetic field
electron - stable negatively charged subatomic particle
electron affinity - measure of the ability of an atom to accept an electron
electron capture (EC) - form of radioactive decay in which the atomic nucleus absorbs a K or L shell electron, converting a proton into a neutron
electron cloud - region of negative charge surrounding the atomic nucleus that has a high probability of containing electrons
electron configuration - description of the population of the electronic energy sublevels of an atom
electron density - representation of the probability of finding an electron in a specific region around an atom or molecule
electron domain - the number of lone electron pairs or bond locations around an atom or molecule
electron pair repulsion - principle that electron pairs surrounding a central atom orient themselves as far apart as possible; used to predict geometry
electron spin - property of an electron related to its spin about an axis, described by a quantum number as either +1/2 or -1/2
electronegativity - property of an atom that reflects its ability to attract electrons in a chemical bond
Electrons are particles with negative charge that orbit the atomic nucleus
electron-sea model - model of metallic bonding in which cations are described as fixed points in a mobile sea of electrons
electrophile - atom or molecule that accepts an electron pair to form a covalent bond
electroplating - process of adding a metal coat to a material by using a reduction reaction
electrostatic forces - forces between particles due to their electrostatic charges
electrum - a natural alloy of gold and silver
element - a substance that cannot be subdivided using chemical means; identified by the number of protons in its atoms
element symbol - the one- or two-letter abbreviation of a chemical element (e.g., H, Cl)
element: a member of, or an object in, a set
elementary reaction - chemical reaction in which reactants form products in a single step without a transition state
ellipse: a plane curve resulting from the intersection of a cone by a plane, that looks like a slightly flattened circle (a circle is a special case of an ellipse)
Ellipse: An ellipse looks like a slightly flattened circle and is also known as a plane curve Planetary orbits take the form of ellipses
elliptic geometry: a non-Euclidean geometry based (at its simplest) on a spherical plane, in which there are no parallel lines and the angles of a triangle sum to more than 180°
emission spectrum - range of wavelengths emitted by an atom stimulated by electricity or heat
emissions - products of a combustion reaction, aside from heat and light (e.g., carbon dioxide)
empirical formula - formula that shows the ratio of elements in a compound, but not necessarily their actual numbers in a molecule
empty (null) set: a set that has no members, and therefore has zero size, usually represented by {} or ø
emulsifier - stabilizing agent that prevents immiscible liquids from separating
emulsion - colloid formed from two or more immiscible liquids where one liquid contains a dispersion of the other liquid(s)
enantiomer - a member of a pair of optical isomers
End Point: The "point" at which a line or curve ends
endothermic - process which absorbs thermal energy from its environment
Endotoxin: component of the outer membrane of certain Gram-negative bacteria that can cause high fevers
enediol - an alkene enol with a hydroxyl group attached to both carbon atoms of the C=C bond
energy - the ability to do work (e.g., kinetic energy, light)
Enterobacteria: a family of bacilli (bacteria) revealed by Gram-negative staining which are aerobic or anaerobic (they can live and reproduce with or without oxygen)
Enterococcus: oval-shaped bacterium of the group D of the Streptococcus family, usually resident in the intestine of healthy humans
enthalpy - thermodynamic property of a system that is the sum of the internal energy and the product of pressure and volume
enthalpy change - the energy change of a system at constant pressure
enthalpy of atomization - quantity of enthalpy change when chemical bonds are broken in a compound to form individual atoms
enthalpy of reaction - difference between total enthalpy of products and total enthalpy of reactants of a chemical reaction
entropy - measure of the disorder of a system
Enumeration: counting how many microbes (bacteria or fungi) are present in a sample
enzyme - An enzyme is a protein that functions as a catalyst for a chemical reaction
Enzyme: a protein macromolecule which speeds up a biochemical reaction
Equation – A relationship between symbols and/or numbers that is balanced.
Equation: A statement that shows the equality of two expressions by joining them with an equals sign
Equilateral triangle – A triangle that has three equal angles and three sides the same length.
Equilateral: A term used to describe a shape whose sides are all of equal length
equilibrium constant - ratio of the equilibrium concentration of products raised to the power of their stoichiometric coefficients to the equilibrium concentration of the reactants raised to the power of their stoichiometric coefficients
equivalence point - point in a titration where the titrant completely neutralizes the analyte
erbium - Erbium is element atomic number 68 on the periodic table
essential amino acid - amino acid needed in the diet because an organism cannot synthesize it
ester - RCO2R′, where R is the hydrocarbon parts of the carboxylic acid and R′ is the alcohol
ether - organic compound containing two aryl or alkyl groups bound to an oxygen, R-O-R'
Euclidean geometry: “normal” geometry based on a flat plane, in which there are parallel lines and the angles of a triangle sum to 180°
europium - Europium is the name for the element with atomic number 63 and is represented by the symbol Eu It is a member of the lanthanide group
eutectic - homogeneous solid mixture of at least two types of atoms or molecules that form a superlattice (usually a mix of alloys)
Evaluate: This word means "to calculate the numerical value"
evaporation - process characterized by a spontaneous transition of molecules from the liquid phase to vapor phase
Even number – An integer which can be divided by 2, with no remainder.
Even Number: A number that can be divided or is divisible by 2
Event: This term often refers to an outcome of probability; it may answers question about the probability of one scenario happening over another
excess reactant - reactant left over in a reaction because it is present in a great amount than needed to react with the limiting reactant
excited state - atom, ion, molecule, or subatomic particle in a higher energy level than its ground state
exergonic - releasing energy to its surroundings
exothermic - releasing energy to the environment in the form of heat; a type of exergonic process
exothermic reaction - a chemical reaction that releases heat
Expanded notation – To point out the place value of a digit by writing the number as the digit times its place value.
expected value: the amount predicted to be gained, using the calculation for average expected payoff, which can be calculated as the integral of a random variable with respect to its probability measure (the expected value may not actually be the most probable value and may not even exist, e.g 2.5 children)
Exponent – A positive or negative number that expresses the power to which the quantity is to be raised or lowered. It is placed above and to the right of the number.
Exponent: The number that denotes repeated multiplication of a term, shown as a superscript above that term The exponent of 34 is 4
exponentiation: the mathematical operation where a number (the base) is multiplied by itself a specified number of times (the exponent), usually written as a superscript an, where a is the base and n is the exponent, e.g 43 = 4 x 4 x 4
Expressions: Symbols that represent numbers or operations between numbers
Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase: beta-lactamases are a family of enzymes responsible for bacterial resistance to certain antibiotics such as penicillin
extensive property - property of matter that depends on the quantity of matter that is present (e.g., volume)
Exterior angle – In a triangle, an exterior angle i s equal to the measures of the two interior angles added together.
Extraction: term applied to the steps which extract nucleic acids from the cells that contain them and process them so they can be used in molecular biology techniques such as amplification
f orbital - electron orbital with l = 3 for the angular momentum quantum number,
F.O.I.L Method – A method used for multiplying binomials in which the first terms, the outside terms, the inside terms, and then the last terms are multiplied
Faraday constant - a physical constant equal to the electric charge of one mole of electrons, 96485.33 C/mol
Face: The flat surfaces on a three-dimensional object
Factor – As a noun, it is a number or symbol which divides evenly into a larger number As a verb, it means to find two or more values whose product equals the original value
Factor – As a noun, it is a number or symbol which divides evenly into a larger number. As a verb, it means to find two or more values whose product equals the original value.
Factor Tree: A graphical representation showing the factors of a specific number
Factor: A number that divides into another number exactly The factors of 10 are 1, 2, 5, and 10 (1 x 10, 2 x 5, 5 x 2, 10 x 1)
factor: a number that will divide into another number exactly, e.g the factors of 10 are 1, 2 and 5
Factorial Notation: Often used in combinatorics, factorial notations requires that you multiply a number by every number smaller than it The symbol used in factorial notation is ! When you see x!, the factorial of x is needed
factorial: the product of all the consecutive integers up to a given number (used to give the number of permutations of a set of objects), denoted by n!, e.g 5! = 1 x 2 x 3 x 4 x 5 = 120
Factoring: The process of breaking numbers down into all of their factors
family - a group of elements that share similar properties
fat - triesters of glycerol and fatty acids that are soluble in organic solvents, but generally insoluble in water
fatty acid - a carboxylic acid with a long hydrocarbon side chain
feedstock - any unprocessed material used as a supply for a manufacturing process
Fermat primes: prime numbers that are one more than a power of 2 (and where the exponent is itself a power of 2), e.g 3 (21 + 1), 5 (22 + 1), 17 (24 + 1), 257 (28 + 1), 65,537 (216 + 1), etc
fermium - Fermium is the name for the element with atomic number 100 and is represented by the symbol Fm It is a member of the actinide group
Fibonacci numbers (series): a set of numbers formed by adding the last two numbers to get the next in the series: 0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, …
Figure: Two-dimensional shapes
finite differences: a method of approximating the derivative or slope of a function using approximately equivalent difference quotients (the function difference divided by the point difference) for small differences
Finite: Not infinite; has an end
fire point - the lowest temperature a vapor will initiate and sustain combustion
first law of thermodynamics - law which states the total energy of a system and its surroundings is a constant value; the law of conservation of energy
fission - the splitting of an atomic nucleus, which results in two or more lighter nuclei and a release of energy
flame test - an analytical technique used to identify ions based on their emission spectrum in a flame
flammable - easily ignited or capable of sustained combustion
Flip: A reflection or mirror image of a two-dimensional shape
Flow cytometry: technique of passing a stream of cells, particles or molecules at high speed through a laser beam The light re-emitted (by diffusion or fluorescence) enables the population to be classified and sorted according to several criteria
fluid - a substance that flows under applied shear stress, including liquids, gases, and plasma
Fluids that don't mix are said to be immiscible
fluorescence - luminescence released when an atom absorbs electromagnetic radiation and emits a photon when the electron falls to a lower energy state
foam - a substance containing gas bubbles trapped within a liquid or solid
force - a push or pull on a mass, with both magnitude and direction (vector)
formal charge - the difference between the number of valence electrons of an atom and the number of electrons associated with the atom (e.g., in a chemical bond)
formation reaction - reaction in which one mole of a product is formed
formula mass or formula weight - the sum of the atomic weights of the atoms in a compound's empirical formula
formula: a rule or equation describing the relationship of two or more variables or quantities, e.g A = πr2
Formula: A rule that numerically describes the relationship between two or more variables
Fourier series: an approximation of more complex periodic functions (such as square or saw-tooth functions) by adding together various simple trigonometric functions (e.g sine, cosine, tangent, etc)
fractal: a self-similar geometric shape (one that appears similar at all levels of magnification) produced by an equation that undergoes repeated iterative steps or recursion
Fraction – A symbol which expresses part of a whole It contains a numerator and a denominator
Fraction – A symbol which expresses part of a whole. It contains a numerator and a denominator.
Fraction: A quantity that is not whole that contains a numerator and denominator The fraction representing half of 1 is written as 1/2
fraction: a way of writing rational numbers (numbers that are not whole numbers), also used to represent ratios or division, in the form of a numerator over a denominator, e.g 3⁄5 (a unit fraction is a fraction whose numerator is 1)
fractional distillation - process which separates components of a mixture according to their boiling points
francium - alkali metal with element symbol Fr and atomic number 87
free energy - the amount of internal energy of a system that is available to do work
free radical - an atom or molecule with an unpaired electron
freezing - process in which a liquid changes to a solid
freezing point - temperature at which a liquid transitions to a solid (not always the same as melting point)
freezing point depression - lowering the freezing point of a liquid by adding another compound to it
frequency - number of times a point on a wave passes a reference point in one second
Frequency: The number of times an event can happen in a given period of time; often used in probability calculations
function: a relation or correspondence between two sets in which one element of the second (codomain or range) set ƒ(x) is assigned to each element of the first (domain) set x, e.g ƒ(x) = x2 or y = x2 assigns a value to ƒ(x) or y based on the square of each value of x
functional groups or functional moiety - group of atoms in a molecule that are responsible for characteristic reactions and properties
Functionalized polymer: an organic or inorganic macromolecule formed by a chain of repeating units to which chemical groups are grafted in order to give the macromolecule a particular function
Fungal: that which relates to fungi
Furlong: A unit of measurement representing the side length of one square acre One furlong is approximately 1/8 of a mile, 201.17 meters, or 220 yards
fusion - combining light atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus, accompanied by the release of energy
gadolinium - rare earth metal with element symbol Gd and atomic number 64
gallium - metal with element symbol Ga and atomic number 31
galvanic cell - electrochemical cell where reactions between dissimilar conductors occur through a salt bridge and electrolyte
game theory: a branch of mathematics that attempts to mathematically capture behaviour in strategic situations, in which an individual’s success in making choices depends on the choices of others, with applications in the areas of economics, politics, biology, engineering, etc
gamma radiation - high energy ionizing photons, originating from the atomic nucleus
gas - state of matter characterized by having neither a defined shape nor defined volume
gas constant (R) - the constant in the Ideal Gas Law; R = 8.3145 J/mol·K
Gaussian curvature: an intrinsic measure of the curvature of a point on a surface, dependent only on how distances are measured on the surface and not on the way it is embedded in space
Gay-Lussac's law - form of the ideal gas law that states the pressure of an ideal gas is directly proportional to its absolute (Kelvin) temperature when volume is held constant
gel - a type of sol where the solid particles are held in a mesh to form a rigid or semi-rigid mixture
Genotyping: determination of all the genes contained in the cells of an organism
geometric isomer - molecules with the same number and type of atoms as each other, but with different geometrical configurations Also called cis-trans or configurational isomerism
geometry: the part of mathematics concerned with the size, shape and relative position of figures, or the study of lines, angles, shapes and their properties
Geometry: The study of lines, angles, shapes, and their properties Geometry studies physical shapes and the object dimensions
germanium - metalloid with element symbol Ge and atomic number 32
Gibbs free energy - a measure of the potential for reversible or maximum work done by a system at constant pressure and temperature
glass - an amorphous solid
glycosidic bond - a covalent bond between a carbohydrate and a functional group or another molecule
gold - yellow-colored transition metal with element symbol Au and atomic number 79
golden ratio (golden mean, divine proportion): the ratio of two quantities (equivalent to approximately 1 : 1.6180339887) where the ratio of the sum of the quantities to the larger quantity equals the ratio of the larger quantity to the smaller one, usually denoted by the Greek letter phi φ (phi)
Graham's Law - relation stating the rate of effusion of a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of its molecular mass or density
grain alcohol - purified form of ethyl alcohol made from distilling fermented grain
gram - unit of mass equal to the mass of one cubic centimeter of water at 4°C
gram molecular mass - the mass in grams of one mole of a molecular substance
Gram staining: staining which reveals the properties of the bacterial wall so that they can be used to distinguish and classify bacteria The main distinction is between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria
Graph Theory: A branch of mathematics focused on the properties of graphs
graph theory: a branch of mathematics focusing on the properties of a variety of graphs (meaning visual representations of data and their relationships, as opposed to graphs of functions on a Cartesian plane)
Graphing Calculator: A calculator with an advanced screen capable of showing and drawing graphs and other functions
gravimetric analysis - a set of quantitative analytical techniques based on measurement of a sample's mass
Greatest common factor – The largest factor that is common to two or more numbers.
Greatest Common Factor: The largest number common to each set of factors that divides both numbers exactly The greatest common factor of 10 and 20 is 10
green chemistry - branch of chemistry concerned with lessening the environmental effect of chemicals, including development of new materials and processes
ground state - the lowest energy state of an atom, ion, molecule, or subatomic particle
group - a vertical column on the periodic table consisting of elements that share periodic properties
group theory: the mathematical field that studies the algebraic structures and properties of groups and the mappings between them
group: a mathematical structure consisting of a set together with an operation that combines any two of its elements to form a third element, e.g the set of integers and the addition operation form a group
Haber process - method of making ammonia or fixing nitrogen by reacting nitrogen and hydrogen gas
hafnium - transition metal with element symbol Hf and atomic number 72
half-cell - half of an electrolytic or voltaic cell, serving as the site of either oxidation or reduction
half-life (t1/2) - time required to convert half of the reactant to a product or the time required for half of a radioactive isotope to decay into its daughter isotope
halide ion - a singlet halogen atom, which has a charge of -1 (e.g., Cl-)
halogen - an element in Group VIIA of the periodic table (e.g., Br, Cl)
halogenated hydrocarbon - a hydrocarbon that contains one or more halogen atoms
hard water - water that contains high amounts of calcium and/or magnesium cations
hassium - transition metal that is atomic number 108 with element symbol Hs
Healthcare-associated infection: an infection that patients acquire during the course of receiving treatment for other conditions within a hospital or healthcare setting
Healthcare-Associated Infections: a disease contracted in a hospital or other healthcare establishment by a patient who did not have this disease on admission
heat - energy that flows between matter samples because of a temperature difference
heat capacity - quantity of heat needed to raise the temperature of a sample by a specified amount
heat of formation ( ΔHf) - amount of heat absorbed or released during formation of a pure substance from its elements at constant pressure
heat of fusion ( ΔHfus) - the change in enthalpy (heat) for the conversion of one gram or mole of a solid to a liquid at constant temperature and pressure
Heat refers to thermal energy
heavy metal - a dense metal that is toxic at low concentrations
Heisenberg uncertainty principle - principle that states it is impossible to determine both the position and momentum of a particle at once with perfect accuracy
helium - Helium is the name for the element with atomic number 2 and is represented by the symbol He It is a member of the noble gases group
Henderson-Hasselbalch equation - an approximation that relates the pH or pOH of a solution, the pKa or pKb, and the ratio of concentration of dissociated species
Henry's Law - law that states the mass of a gas that will dissolve into solution is directly proportional to the partial pressure of the gas above the solution
Hess's Law - law that states the energy change in an overall reaction equals the sum of the energy changes in its individual (partial) reactions
heterogeneous -- consisting of dissimilar components
heterogeneous mixture - a mixture that lacks a uniform composition such that at least two components are present with identifiable properties
heterogeneous reaction - chemical reaction in which reactants are different phases from each other
Hexagon: A six-sided and six-angled polygon
Hilbert problems: an influential list of 23 open (unsolved) problems in mathematics described by David Hilbert in 1900
Histogram: A graph that uses bars that equal ranges of values
Histology: the study of tissue in order to research tissue composition, structure and renewal and cellular exchanges within themselves
HLA: the acronym of “Human Leukocyte Antigens”: histocompatibility antigens whose role is essential in the tolerance of organ transplants and which are specific to a given individual
holmium - rare earth metal with element symbol Ho and atomic number 67
homogeneous - uniform through its volume
homopolymer - polymer in which every mer unit is identical
hybrid orbital - orbital formed by the combination of two or more atomic orbitals
hydration reaction - reaction in which a hydrogen and hydroxyl ion are attached to a carbon in a C-C double bond
hydrocarbon - molecule consisting entirely of carbon and hydrogen atoms
hydrogen - element with atomic number 1 and symbol H
hydrogen bond - attractive interaction between a hydrogen bonded to an electronegative atom and a different electronegative atom
hydrogenation - reduction reaction that produces hydrogen (usually as H2)
hydrolysis - decomposition reaction in which one reactant is water Reverse of a condensation reaction
hydrometer - instrument used to measure the relative densities of two liquids
hydronium ion - the H3O+cation
hydrophobic - property of repelling water
hydroxyl group - functional group consisting of a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an oxygen atom (-OH)
hygroscopic - able to absorb or adsorb water from the surroundings
hyperbola: a smooth symmetrical curve with two branches produced by the section of a conical surface
Hyperbola: A type of conic section or symmetrical open curve The hyperbola is the set of all points in a plane, the difference of whose distance from two fixed points in the plane is a positive constant
hyperbolic geometry: a non-Euclidean geometry based on a saddle-shaped plane, in which there are no parallel lines and the angles of a triangle sum to less than 180°
hypertonic - having higher osmotic pressure than another solution
Hypotenuse – In a right triangle it is the side opposite from the 90° angle.
Hypotenuse: The longest side of a right-angled triangle, always opposite to the right angle itself
hypothesis - prediction of an event or proposed explanation of a phenomenon
ideal gas - gas in which molecules have negligible size and kinetic energy dependent only on temperature
ideal gas constant - physical constant in the Ideal Gas Law, equal to the Boltzmann constant but with different units
ideal gas law - PV = nRT where P is pressure, V is volume, n is number of moles, R is the ideal gas constant, and T is temperature
identity: an equality that remains true regardless of the values of any variables that appear within it, e.g for multiplication, the identity is one; for addition, the identity is zero
Identity: An equation that is true for variables of any value
Imaginary number – The square root of a negative number.
imaginary numbers: numbers in the form bi, where b is a real number and i is the “imaginary unit”, equal to √-1 (i.e i2 = -1)
immiscible - property of two substances being unable to combine to form a homogeneous mixture; unable to mix
Immunoassay: diagnostic test based on an antigen/antibody reaction, enabling the detection of infectious agents (bacteria, viruses, parasites) and pathogen markers
Improper fraction – A fraction in which the numerator is larger than the denominator
Improper fraction – A fraction in which the numerator is larger than the denominator.
Improper Fraction: A fraction whose denominator is equal to or greater than the numerator, such as 6/4
In vitro diagnostics: analysis of biological samples (urine, blood, etc.) performed outside the human body
In vivo diagnostics: tests or research performed on a living organism
independent variable - the variable that is controlled or changed in an experiment to test its effect on the dependent variable
indicator - substance that undergoes a visible change when its conditions change (e.g., a pH indicator)
indium - metal with element symbol In and atomic number 49
inductive effect - effect a chemical bond has on the orientation of adjacent bonds in a molecule
inductive reasoning or logic: a type of reasoning that involves moving from a set of specific facts to a general conclusion, indicating some degree of support for the conclusion without actually ensuring its truth
Inequality: A mathematical equation expressing inequality and containing a greater than (>), less than (<), or not equal to (≠) symbol
infinite series: the sum of an infinite sequence of numbers (which are usually produced according to a certain rule, formula or algorithm)
infinitesimal: quantities or objects so small that there is no way to see them or to measure them, so that for all practical purposes they approach zero as a limit (an idea used in the developement of infinitesimal calculus)
infinity: a quantity or set of numbers without bound, limit or end, whether countably infinite like the set of integers, or uncountably infinite like the set of real numbers (represented by the symbol ∞)
inhibitor - substance that slows or prevents a chemical reaction
inorganic chemistry - study of chemistry of molecules of non-biological origin (not containing C-H bonds)
insoluble - unable to dissolve in a solvent
Integer – A whole number. It may be positive, negative, or zero.
Integers: All whole numbers, positive or negative, including zero
integers: whole numbers, both positive (natural numbers) and negative, including zero
integral: the area bounded by a graph or curve of a function and the x axis, between two given values of x (definite integral), found by the operation of integration
integration: the operation in calculus (inverse to the operation of differentiation) of finding the integral of a function or equation
intensive property - property of matter that is independent of the quantity of matter in a sample
Interior angles – Angles formed inside the shape or inside two parallel lines.
intermediate - substance formed in a middle step between reactants and final products
intermolecular force - the sum of all forces between neighboring molecules
internal energy - the total energy (U) of a closed system
Intersecting lines – Lines that come together at a point.
Interval – The numbers that are contained within two specific boundaries.
intrinsic property - property of matter that is independent of the quantity of matter present
inverse proportion - relationship between variable such that their product is a constant value
iodine - Iodine is the name for the element with atomic number 53 and is represented by the symbol I It is a member of the halogen group
ion - atom or molecule which has a different number of protons than electrons and thus a net electrical charge
ionic - pertaining to carrying a net electrical charge at the atomic or molecular level
ionic bond - chemical link between atoms caused by electrostatic force between opposite charged ions
ionic compound - compound formed by ions bonding together due to electrostatic forces (differing electronegativity values)
ionic equation - chemical equation in which electrolytes in aqueous solution are written as dissociated ions
ionic radius - half the distance between two ions just touching each other
ionization energy - energy required to completely remove an electron from a gaseous atom of ion
iridium - Iridium is the name for the element with atomic number 77 and is represented by the symbol Ir It is a member of the transition metals group
iron - Iron is the name for the element with atomic number 26 and is represented by the symbol Fe It is a member of the transition metals group
Irrational number – A number that is not rational (cannot be written as a fraction x/y, with x a natural number and y an integer).
irrational numbers: numbers that can not be represented as decimals (because they would contain an infinite number of non-repeating digits) or as fractions of one integer over another, e.g π, √2, e
Irrational: A number that cannot be represented as a decimal or fraction A number like pi is irrational because it contains an infinite number of digits that keep repeating Many square roots are also irrational numbers
isoelectronic - chemical species that have the same electronic structure and thus same number of valence electrons
isolated system - thermodynamic system that can't exchange energy or matter outside of the system
isomer - chemical species with the same number and type of atoms as another species, but a different arrangement and thus different properties
isomerization process - protocol in which straight chain hydrocarbons are converted into branched chain hydrocarbons
Isosceles triangle – A triangle with two equal sides and two equal angles across from them.
Isosceles: A polygon with two sides of equal length
isotopes - atoms that have the same number of protons, but different numbers of neutrons and thus different atomic weight values
IUPAC - International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry, an authority on chemical standards
IVD: abbreviation for in vitro diagnostics
joule - SI unit of energy equal to the kinetic energy of a 1 kg mass moving at 1 m/s
Julia set: the set of points for a function of the form z2 + c (where c is a complex parameter), such that a small perturbation can cause drastic changes in the sequence of iterated function values and iterations will either approach zero, approach infinity or get trapped in loop
Kelvin temperature scale - an absolute temperature scale with 100 degrees between the freezing and boiling points of water (although values are given without degrees by convention)
keratin - a fibrous protein produced by chordates It may be found in hair, skin, claws, and wool
ketone - compound containing a carbonyl functional group (C=O) between two groups of atoms
kilo - prefix meaning "one thousand"
Kilometer: A unit of measure equal to 1000 meters
kilopascal (kPa) - unit of pressure exerted by a 10 g mass on a square centimeter There are 1000 Pa in 1 kPa
kinetic energy - energy associated with motion
knot theory: an area of topology that studies mathematical knots (a knot is a closed curve in space formed by interlacing a piece of “string” and joining the ends)
Knot: A closed three-dimensional circle that is embedded and cannot be untangled
krypton - element 36 on the periodic table with symbol Kr
Krypton is a noble gas
labile complex - a complex ion that quickly reaches equilibrium with ligands in the surrounding solution
lanthanides - subset of transition metals characterized by filling of the 4f sublevel, usually atomic number 58-71
lanthanum - element atomic number 57 with element symbol La
lattice energy - enthalpy change of the process by which opposite-charged ions in a gas combine to form a solid ionic lattice
law - a general rule that explains a body of scientific observations Laws are stated in words, but expressed by mathematical equations
Law of Chemical Equilibrium - an expression of the relationship between the concentration of reactants and products of a chemical reaction mixture at equilibrium
Law of Combining Volumes - relation that states the volumes of gases in a chemical reaction are present in the ratio of small integers under conditions where all gases are at the same temperature and pressure
Law of Conservation of Energy - law that states energy can neither be created nor destroyed, although it may change from one form into another
Law of Conservation of Mass - law that states matter in a closed system may be neither created nor destroyed, although it may change forms
Law of Constant Composition - chemistry law that states samples of a pure compound contain the same elements in the same proportions by mass
Law of Definite Proportions - law that states all samples of a compound contain the same proportion of elements by mass
Law of Multiple Proportions - law that states element combine in ratios of small whole numbers to form molecules
lawrencium - actinide with element symbol Lr and atomic number 103
Le Chatelier′s Principle - principle that says that equilibrium of a chemical system will shift in the direction to relieve stress
lead - metal with element symbol Pb and atomic number 82
Least common multiple – The smallest multiple that is common to two or more numbers.
least squares method: a method of regression analysis used in probability theory and statistics to fit a curve-of-best-fit to observed data by minimizing the sum of the squares of the differences between the observed values and the values provided by the model
Lewis acid - chemical species that can act as an electron pair acceptor
Lewis acid base reaction - chemical reaction that forms at least one covalent bond between an electron pair donor (Lewis base) and electron pair acceptor (Lewis acid)
Lewis base - a substance that is an electron pair donor
Lewis structure - representation of a molecule that uses dots to show electrons around atoms and lines to show covalent bonds
ligand - a chemical species that donates or shares at least one electron via a covalent bond with a central ion or atom
Like Fractions: Fractions with the same denominator
Like Terms: Terms with the same variable and same exponents/powers
limit: the point towards which a series or function converges, e.g as x becomes closer and closer to zero, (sin x)⁄x becomes closer and closer to the limit of 1
limiting reactant - the reactant that determines how much product may result from a chemical reaction
Line of Symmetry: A line that divides a figure into two equal shapes
Line Segment: A straight path that has two endpoints, a beginning and an end
Line: A straight infinite path joining an infinite number of points in both directions
line: in geometry, a one-dimensional figure following a continuous straight path joining two or more points, whether infinite in both directions or just a line segment bounded by two distinct end points
Linear equation – An equation where the solution set forms a straight line when it is plotted on a coordinate graph.
linear equation: an algebraic equation in which each term is either a constant or the product of a constant and the first power of a single variable, and whose graph is therefore a straight line, e.g y = 4, y = 5x + 3
Linear Equation: An equation that contains two variables and can be plotted on a graph as a straight line
linear regression: a technique in statistics and probability theory for modelling scattered data by assuming an approximate linear relationship between the dependent and independent variables
lipid - class of fat-soluble molecules, also known as oils and fats
liquefaction - process of converting a material from a solid or gas phase into the liquid phase
liquid - state of matter characterized by having a definite volume but not a definite shape
Listeria: a genus of bacteria that can cause listeriosis, an infectious disease which is potentially serious in new-born babies, pregnant women or individuals with low resistance
lithium - alkali metal with atomic number 3 and element symbol Li
litmus paper - filter paper used as a pH paper that has been treated with a water-soluble dye obtained from lichens
Litmus paper is a specific type of pH paper
logarithm: the inverse operation to exponentiation, the exponent of a power to which a base (usually 10 or e for natural logarithms) must be raised to produce a given number, e.g because 1,000 = 103, the log10 100 = 3
Logarithm: The power to which a base must be raised to produce a given number If nx = a, the logarithm of a, with n as the base, is x Logarithm is the opposite of exponentiation
Logic: Sound reasoning and the formal laws of reasoning
logic: the study of the formal laws of reasoning (mathematical logic the application of the techniques of formal logic to mathematics and mathematical reasoning, and vice versa)
logicism: the theory that mathematics is just an extension of logic, and that therefore some or all mathematics is reducible to logic
London dispersion force - weak intermolecular force between atoms or molecules in close proximity to each other, due to electron repulsion
lone pair - an electron pair in the outer shell of an atom that is not shared or bonded with another atom
Lowest common denominator – The smallest number that can be divided evenly by all denominators in the problem.
lutetium - rare earth metal with element symbol Lu and atomic number 71
macromolecule - molecule containing a very large number of atoms, usually more than 100
Madelung's rule - rule that describes filling of electron orbitals in atoms due to shielding of nuclear charge by inner electrons
magic square: a square array of numbers where each row, column and diagonal added up to the same total, known as the magic sum or constant (a semi-magic square is a square numbers where just the rows and columns, but not both diagonals, sum to a constant)
magnesium - Magnesium is the name for the element with atomic number 12 and is represented by the symbol Mg Magnesium is an alkaline earth metal
main group elements - any of the elements in the s and p blocks of the periodic table
malleable - able to be shaped or pounded with a hammer, usually applied to metals
Mandelbrot set: a set of points in the complex plane, the boundary of which forms a fractal, based on all the possible c points and Julia sets of a function of the form z2 + c (where c is a complex parameter)
manganese - element with atomic number 25 and element symbol Mn
manifold: a topological space or surface which, on a small enough scale, resembles the Euclidean space of a specific dimension (called the dimension of the manifold), e.g a line and a circle are one-dimensional manifolds; a plane and the surface of a sphere are two-dimensional manifolds; etc
manometer - device used to measure gas pressure
Marker: a reagent used to detect the substance to which it is bound A biological marker (biomarker) is a substance that is assayed to help diagnose a pathology
mass - amount of matter a substance contains or property of matter that resists acceleration
mass defect - difference between the mass of an atom and the sum of the masses of its protons, neutrons, and electrons
Mass is a measure of the quantity of matter in a sample
mass number - whole number integer that is the sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the atomic nucleus
mass percentage - concentration calculated as mass of a component divided by total mass of mixture or solution; w/w%
Mass spectrometry: a technique used to identify a molecule and determine its chemical structure by analyzing the mass and the charge of its ions
mass spectroscopy - analytical technique used to separate and/or identify components of a mixture based on mass and electrical charge
matrix: a rectangular array of numbers, which can be added, subtracted and multiplied, and used to represent linear transformations and vectors, solve equations, etc
matter - anything that has mass and occupies volume
Mean – The average of a number of items in a group (total the items and divide by the number of items).
Mean: The mean is the same as the average Add up a series of numbers and divide the sum by the total number of values to find the mean
measurement - quantitative or numerical data describing an object or event
Median – The middle item in an ordered group. If the group has an even number of items, the median is the average of the two middle terms.
Median: The median is the "middle value" in a series of numbers ordered from least to greatest When the total number of values in a list is odd, the median is the middle entry When the total number of values in a list is even, the median is equal to the sum of the two middle numbers divided by two
medicinal chemistry - branch of chemistry concerned with design, synthesis, and study of pharmaceuticals
meitnerium - radioactive transition metal with element symbol Mt and atomic number 109
melting - phase change of matter from solid to liquid
melting point - temperature at which the solid and liquid phase of matter coexist in equilibrium
mendelevium - actinide with atomic number 101 and element symbol Md
meniscus - phase boundary between a liquid in a container and a gas, curved due to surface tension
mercaptan - organic sulfur compound containing an alkyl or aryl group and a thiol group
mercapto group - functional group consisting of a sulfur bonded to a hydrogen; -SH
mercury - transition metal with element symbol Hg and atomic number Hg
Mersenne number: numbers that are one less than 2 to the power of a prime number, e.g 3 (22 – 1); 7 (23 – 1); 31 (25 – 1); 127 (27 – 1); 8,191 (213 – 1); etc
Mersenne primes: prime numbers that are one less than a power of 2, e.g 3 (22 – 1); 7 (23 – 1); 31 (25 – 1); 127 (27 – 1); 8,191 (213 – 1); etc – many, but not all, Mersenne numbers are primes, e.g 2,047 = 211 – 1 = 23 x 89, so 2,047 is a Mersenne number but not a Mersenne prime
metabolism - set of biochemical reactions that store chemical energy and convert it into a form an organism can use
metal - substance that has high conductivity and other metallic properties, including tendency to form cations, often identified by group on the periodic table
metallic character - set of chemical properties associated with metals, including the ability to lose outer valence electrons to form cations
metallic compound - chemical compound that contains one or more metal atoms
metalloid - element with properties intermediate between those of metals and nonmetals (e.g., silicon)
meter - either (a) the base unit of length in the SI system or (b) a device used to measure a quantity
Methicillin: a semi-synthetic penicillin used primarily against non-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
method of exhaustion: a method of finding the area of a shape by inscribing inside it a sequence of polygons whose areas converge to the area of the containing shape (a precursor to the methods of calculus)
methyl - functional group containing a carbon bonded to three hydrogen atoms, -CH3
Microbiology: study of microorganisms In the field of in vitro diagnostics: culturing biological, food and pharmaceutical samples in growth medium allows any bacteria that may be present to multiply.The bacteria are subsequently identified and their susceptibility to antibiotics tested in certain cases
microliter - unit of volume that is one-millionth of a liter one cubic millimeter
micron - unit of length equal to one-millionth of a meter; a micrometer
Microorganism: a living organism of microscopic size
Midpoint: A point that is exactly halfway between two locations
mineral acid - any inorganic acid (e.g., sulfuric acid)
miscible - soluble or able to be mixed to form a solution, typically applied to fluids
Mixed number – A number containing both a whole number and a fraction.
Mixed Numbers: Mixed numbers refer to whole numbers combined with fractions or decimals Example 3 1/2 or 3.5
mixture - combination of two or more substances such that each retains its separate chemical identity (e.g., salt and flour)
Mode: The mode in a list of numbers are the values that occur most frequently
moderator - material that slows or moderates the speed of neutrons
Modular Arithmetic: A system of arithmetic for integers where numbers "wrap around" upon reaching a certain value of the modulus
modular arithmetic: a system of arithmetic for integers, where numbers “wrap around” after they reach a certain value (the modulus), e.g on a 12-hour clock, 15 o’clock is actually 3 o’clock (15 = 3 mod 12)
modulus: a number by which two given numbers can be divided by integer division, and produce the same remainder, e.g 38 ÷ 12 = 3 remainder 2, and 26 ÷ 12 = 2 remainder 2, therefore 38 and 26 are congruent modulo 12, or (38 ≡ 26) mod 12
Mohs scale - Mohs scale is a relative scale rating the hardness of a mineral A mineral with a high Mohs number is able to mark a mineral with a lower Mohs number
moiety - group of atoms in a molecule that are responsible for its characteristic chemical behavior
molality - unit of concentration that is the moles of solute divided by the kilograms of solvent
molar - refers to molarity (moles per liter of solution); e.g a 6 M HCl solution has 6 moles of hydrochloric acid per liter of solution
molar enthalpy of fusion - energy needed to change one mole of a substance from solid to liquid phase at constant pressure and temperature
molar enthalpy of vaporization - energy needed to change one mole of liquid to the gas phase at constant pressure and temperature
molar heat capacity - heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 mole of a substance 1 Kelvin
molar mass - mass of one mole of a substance
molar volume - volume of one mole of a substance
molarity - unit of concentration that is the number of moles of solute divided by the number of liters of solution
mole - chemical mass unit equal to 6.022 x 1023 molecules, atoms, or other particles
mole fraction - unit of concentration that is the number of moles of a component divided by the total number of moles of a solution
mole ratio - ratio or fraction comparing the numbers of moles of any two components involved in a chemical reaction
Molecular biology: technique that can detect a bacterium, virus, yeast, parasite or a biomarker through the presence of DNA or RNA genetic sequences in a sample
molecular equation - balanced chemical equation in which ionic compounds are expressed as molecules rather than ions
molecular formula - expression of the number and type of atoms in a molecule
molecular geometry - description of the shape of a molecule and the relative positions of its atoms
molecular mass - sum of the atomic masses of atoms in a molecule
molecular orbital - wave function of an electron in a molecule
molecular weight - sum of the atomic weights of atoms in a molecule
molecule - chemical species formed by two or more atoms that share chemical bonds such that they form one unit
molybdenum - transition metal with element symbol Mo and atomic number 42
monatomic ion - an ion formed by a single atom
monomer - a molecule that is a subunit or building block of a polymer
Monomial – An expression in algebra that consists of only one term.
monomial: an algebraic expression consisting of a single term (although that term could be an exponent), e.g y = 7x, y = 2x3
Monomial: An algebraic expression made up of one term
monoprotic acid - acid that donates a single proton or hydrogen atom per molecule in aqueous solution
mother liquor - solution remaining after crystals are removed from a crystallization solution
MRSA: methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus bacterium
MSDS - acronym for Material Safety Data Sheet, a written document outlining safety information about a chemical
multiple bond - a bond formed when two or more pairs of electrons are shared between two atoms
Multiple: The multiple of a number is the product of that number and any other whole number 2, 4, 6, and 8 are multiples of 2
Multiplex: the ability to transmit multiple data on a single physical medium
Multiplicand: A quantity multiplied by another A product is obtained by multiplying two or more multiplicands
Multiplication: Multiplication is the repeated addition of the same number denoted with the symbol x 4 x 3 is equal to 3 + 3 + 3 + 3
Multi-resistant bacteria: bacteria are said to be multi-resistant to antibiotics when they are sensitive only to a small number of the antibiotics customarily used in therapy, as a consequence of the accumulation of natural and acquired resistances
muriatic acid - common name for hydrochloric acid, HCl
Mycobacteria: rod-shaped bacillus-type bacteria Some species of mycobacterium are pathogenic: M leprae responsible for leprosy; M tuberculosis, responsible for tuberculosis
naphthenes - cyclic aliphatic hydrocarbons from petroleum with the general formula CnH2n
natural abundance - average percentage of a given isotope naturally occurring on Earth
Natural number – A counting number.
Natural Numbers: Regular counting numbers
natural numbers: the set of positive integers (regular whole counting numbers), sometimes including zero
Negative number – A number less than zero.
Negative Number: A number less than zero denoted with the symbol - Negative 3 = -3
negative numbers: any integer, ration or real number which is less than 0, e.g -743, -1.4, -√5 (but not √-1, which is an imaginary or complex number)
neodymium - rare earth metal with element symbol Nd and atomic number 60
neon - noble gas with element symbol Ne and atomic number 10
Neon lights contain the noble gas neon
neptunium - actinide with element symbol Np and atomic number 94
net ionic equation - chemical equation that lists only the species participating in the reaction
Net: A two-dimensional shape that can be turned into a two-dimensional object by gluing/taping and folding
network solid - material consisting of an array of repeating covalently bonded atoms
neutral solution - aqueous solution with a pH of 7
neutralization - chemical reaction between an acid and base that results in a neutral solution
neutron - particle in the atomic nucleus that has a mass of 1 and charge of 0
newton (N) - SI unit of force equal to the amount of force needed to accelerate a 1 kg mass 1 m/sec2
nickel - Nickel is the name for the element with atomic number 28 and is represented by the symbol Ni Nickel is a member of the transition metals group
niobium - Niobium is the name for the element with atomic number 41 and is represented by the symbol Nb Niobium is also called Columbium and is a transition metal
nitrogen - Nitrogen is the name for the element with atomic number 7 and is represented by the symbol N Nitrogen is also known as azote and is a member of the nonmetal group
nobelium - actinide with element symbol No and atomic number 102
noble gas - element from Group 8 of the periodic table (e.g., xenon, argon)
noble gas core - shorthand notation used writing atomic electron configuration in which previous noble gas configuration is replaced by the element symbol in brackets
nonbonding electron - electron in an atom that does not participate in a chemical bond with other atoms
non-commutative algebra: an algebra in which a x b does not always equal b x a, such as that used by quaternions
nonelectrolyte - substance that does not dissociate into ions in aqueous solution
non-Euclidean geometry: geometry based on a curved plane, whether elliptic (spherical) or hyperbolic (saddle-shaped), in which there are no parallel lines and the angles of a triangle do not sum to 180°
Nonlinear equation – An equation where the solution set does not form a straight line when it is plotted on a coordinate graph
Nonlinear equation – An equation where the solution set does not form a straight line when it is plotted on a coordinate graph.
nonmetal - element that does not display metallic properties, typically referring to elements located in the upper right corner of the periodic table
nonoxidizing acid - an acid that cannot act as an oxidizing agent
nonpolar bond - chemical bond with even distribution of charge such that it does not have positive or negative poles
nonpolar molecule - molecule that has even distribution of charge such that it does not have positive and negative sides
nonspontaneous reaction - chemical reaction that cannot occur without input of external work
nonvolatile - substance that does not readily evaporate into a gas under ordinary conditions
Norm: The mean or average; an established pattern or form
normal (Gaussian) distribution: a continuous probability distribution in probability theory and statistics that describes data which clusters around the mean in a curved “bell curve”, highest in the middle and quickly tapering off to each side
normal boiling point - temperature at which a liquid boils at 1 atm of pressure (sea level)
normal concentration - either refers to normal concentration in which the concentration of solutes is the same in two samples or refers to gram equivalent weight of a solute in solution (N)
Normal Distribution: Also known as Gaussian distribution, normal distribution refers to a probability distribution that is reflected across the mean or center of a bell curve
normal melting point - temperature at which a solid melts at 1 atm of pressure
normality (N) - measure of concentration equal to gram equivalent weight per liter of solution
Nth Root: The nth root of a number is how many times a number needs to be multiplied by itself to achieve the value specified Example: the 4th root of 3 is 81 because 3 x 3 x 3 x 3 = 81
nuclear fission - splitting of atomic nuclei into two or more lighter nuclei, accompanied by an energy release
nuclear radiation - particles and photons emitted during reactions in the atomic nucleus
nucleation - process of vapor droplets condensing into a liquid, bubbles forming in a boiling liquid, or particle accretion to grow crystals
Nucleic acid: a naturally-occurring molecule found in each cell It has the ability to hold and transmit coded hereditary instructions allowing for an organism's development There are two types of nucleic acids: DNA and RNA
nucleophile - atom or molecule that donates an electron pair to form a covalent bond
nucleotide - organic molecule comprised of a nucleotide base, ribose or deoxyribose, and one or more phosphate groups
nucleus - positively charged center of an atom, made from protons and neutrons
nuclide - an atom or ion characterized by the proton and neutron composition of its nucleus
null hypothesis - proposition that there is no effect of a treatment or no relationship between an independent and dependent variable
Number line – A visual representation of the positive and negative numbers and zero
Number line – A visual representation of the positive and negative numbers and zero.
number line: a line on which all points correspond to real numbers (a simple number line may only mark integers, but in theory all real numbers to +/- infinity can be shown on a number line)
Number Line: A line whose points correspond to numbers
number theory: the branch of pure mathematics concerned with the properties of numbers in general, and integers in particular
Numeral: A written symbol denoting a number value
Numerator – The top symbol or number of a fraction.
Numerator: The top number in a fraction The numerator is divided into equal parts by the denominator
nutraceutical - a food or part of food that confers health or medical benefits
Obtuse angle – An angle which is larger than 90° but less than 180°.
Obtuse Angle: An angle measuring between 90° and 180°
Obtuse triangle – A triangle which contains an obtuse angle.
Obtuse Triangle: A triangle with at least one obtuse angle
Octagon: A polygon with eight sides
octane number - value that indicates resistance of motor fuel to engine knock relative to the knock from isooctane (100) and heptane (0)
octet - group of 8 valence electrons around an atom
octet rule - principal that atoms in an atomic bond share their 8 outer electrons
Odd number – An integer (whole number) that is not divisible evenly by 2.
Odd Number: A whole number that is not divisible by 2
Odds: The ratio/likelihood of a probability event happening The odds of flipping a coin and having it land on heads are one in two
Oncology (or cancerology): the medical specialty of the study, diagnosis and treatment of cancers
open system - a system able to freely exchange matter and energy with its surroundings
Operation: Refers to addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division
orbital - mathematical function that describes the wavelike behavior of an electron
Order of Operations: A set of rules used to solve mathematical problems in the correct order This is often remembered with acronyms BEDMAS and PEMDAS
Ordered pair – Any pair of elements (x,y) where the first element is x and the second element is y. These are used to identify or plot points on coordinate graphs.
ordinal numbers: an extension of the natural numbers (different from integers and from cardinal numbers) used to describe the order type of sets i.e the order of elements within a set or series
Ordinal: Ordinal numbers give relative position in a set: first, second, third, etc
organic chemistry - study of the chemistry of compounds containing carbon chemical bonded to hydrogen
Origin – The intersection point of the two number lines of a coordinate graph. The intersection point is represented by the coordinates (0,0).
osmium - Osmium is the name for the element with atomic number 76 and is represented by the symbol Os It is a member of the transition metal group
osmosis - movement of solvent molecules across a semipermeable membrane from a dilute solution to a more concentrated solution, thus diluting it and equalizing concentration on both sides of the membrane
Outcome: Used in probability to refer to the result of an event
oxidant - a reactant that oxidizes or removes electrons from another reactant in a redox reaction
oxidation - loss of electrons by an atom, molecule or ion in a chemical reaction
oxidation number - the electrical charge of a central atom in a coordination compound if all electron pairs and ligands were removed
oxidation state - the difference between the number of electrons in an atom in a compound compared with the number of electrons in a neutral atom of the element
oxide - an ion of oxygen with an oxidation state equal to 2- (e.g., iron oxide)
oxidizer - a reactant that removes electrons from another reactant in a redox reaction
oxidizing agent - an oxidizer; a reactant that removes electrons from another reactant
oxyanion - an anion that contains the element oxygen
oxygen - Oxygen is the name for the element with atomic number 8 and is represented by the symbol O It is a member of the nonmetal group
palladium - transition metal with element symbol Pd and atomic number 46
parabola: a type of conic section curve, any point of which is equally distant from a fixed focus point and a fixed straight line
Parabola: An open curve whose points are equidistant from a fixed point called the focus and a fixed straight line called the directrix
paradox: a statement that appears to contradict itself, suggesting a solution which is actually impossible
Parallel lines – Two or more lines which are always the same distance apart. They never meet.
Parallelogram: A quadrilateral with two sets of opposite sides that are parallel
paramagnetism - property of material characterized by being attracted to a magnetic field
Parasite: an organism that feeds off, lives or reproduces itself by establishing a lasting interaction with another organism (the host)
parent atom - atom that undergoes radioactive decay, resulting in one or more daughter atoms
parent nuclide - nuclide that decays into a specific daughter nuclide during radioactive decay
partial differential equation: a relation involving an unknown function with several independent variables and its partial derivatives with respect to those variables
partial pressure - the pressure a gas in a mixture of gases would exert if it occupied the volume by itself, at the same temperature
particulate - small distinct solids suspended in a gas or liquid
parts per million (PPM) - unit of concentration that is one part solute per one million parts solvent
Pascal (Pa) - SI unit of pressure equal to the force of 1 Newton per square meter
Pascal’s Triangle: a geometrical arrangement of the coefficients of the polynomial expansion of a binomial power of the form (x + y)n as a symmetrical triangle of numbers
Pathogen: a microbe that causes or has the potential to cause an infectious disease
Pauli exclusion principle - principle that says no two electrons or other fermions can have identical quantum numbers in the same atom or molecule
PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction): molecular biology technology for in vitro amplification of genetic sequences, used to copy known DNA or RNA sequences in large quantities (by an order of magnitude of a billion) from an initially small quantity This technology is particularly useful for detecting the presence of viruses
PCT (Procalcitonin): an early and specific host marker of a bacterial infection, PCT is useful to adapt antimicrobial prescriptions
Pentagon: A five-sided polygon Regular pentagons have five equal sides and five equal angles
percent composition - percent by mass of each element in a compound
percent yield - percent ratio of actual yield divided by theoretical yield
Percent: A ratio or fraction with the denominator 100
Percentage – A common fraction with 100 as its denominator.
perfect number: a number that is the sum of its divisors (excluding the number itself), e.g 28 = 1 + 2 + 4 + 7 + 14
Perimeter: The total distance around the outside of a polygon This distance is obtained by adding together the units of measure from each side
period - horizontal row of the periodic table; elements with the same highest unexcited electron energy level
periodic function: a function that repeats its values in regular intervals or periods, such as the trigonometric functions of sine, cosine, tangent, etc
periodic law - law that states the properties of elements recur in a predictable and systematic way when they are arranged by increasing atomic number
periodic table - tabular arrangement of elements by increasing atomic number, ordered according to trends in recurring properties
periodic trend - regular variation in the properties of elements with increasing atomic number
periodicity - recurring variations in element properties with increasing atomic number due to trends in atomic structure
periplanar - describes two atoms or groups of atoms in the same plane as each other with respect to a single bond
permutation: a particular ordering of a set of objects, e.g given the set {1, 2, 3}, there are six permutations: {1, 2, 3}, {1, 3, 2}, {2, 1, 3}, {2, 3, 1}, {3, 1, 2}, and {3, 2, 1}
peroxide - a polyatomic anion with molecular formula O22-
Perpendicular lines – Two lines which intersect at right angles.
Perpendicular: Two lines or line segments intersecting to form a right angle
petroleum - crude oil; natural flammable hydrocarbon mixture found in geologic formations
pH - measure of the hydrogen ion concentration, reflecting how acidic or basic a substance is
pH indicator - compound that changes color over a range of pH values
pH meter - instrument that measure pH of a solution based on the voltage between two electrodes in the solution
Phage recombinant protein: bacteriophage tail protein that has been obtained by a biological process Bacteriophages: highly specific viruses that only infect bacteria They are used for the targeted capture of bacteria and to isolate them
phase - distinct form of matter with uniform chemical and physical properties
phase change - change in the state of matter of a sample (e.g., liquid to vapor)
phase diagram - chart showing the phase of a substance according to temperature and pressure
phenolphthalein - an organic pH indicator, C20H14O4
phlogiston - Phlogiston was believed to be a substance all combustible matter contained and released when burned Phlogiston theory was an early chemical theory to explain the process of oxidation Phlogiston had no odor, taste, color or mass Deflogisticated substances were called the calx of the substance
phosphorescence - luminescence produced when electromagnetic energy (usually UV light) kicks an electron from a lower to higher energy state A photon is released when the electron falls to a lower state
phosphorus - nonmetal with element symbol P and atomic number 15
photon - discrete packet of electromagnetic radiation
physical change - change that alters the form of matter but not its chemical composition
physical property - characteristic of matter that may be observed and measured without changing the identity of the sample
Pi (π) – A constant that is used for determining the circumference or area of a circle. It is equal to approximately 3.14.
pi (π): the ratio of a circumference of a circle to its diameter, an irrational (and transcendental) number approximately equal to 3.141593…
pi bond - covalent bond formed between two neighbor atom unbonded pi orbitals
Pi: Pi is used to represent the ratio of a circumference of a circle to its diameter, denoted with the Greek symbol π
pKa - negative base 10 log of the acid dissociation constant; lower pKa correlates to stronger acid
pKb - negative base 10 log of the base dissociation constant; lower pKa correlates with stronger base
place value: positional notation for numbers, allowing the use of the same symbols for different orders of magnitude, e.g the “one’s place”, “ten’s place”, “hundred’s place”, etc
Planck's constant - proportionality constant that relates photon energy to frequency; 6.626 x 10-34 J·sec
plane: a flat two-dimensional surface (physical or theoretical) with infinite width and length, zero thickness and zero curvature
Plane: When a set of points join together to form a flat surface that extends in all directions, this is called a plane
plasma - state of matter with no defined shape or volume consisting of ions and electrons
platinum - transition metal with atomic number 78 and element symbol Pt
Platonic solids: the five regular convex polyhedra (symmetrical 3-dimensional shapes): the tetrahedron (made up of 4 regular triangles), the octahedron (made up of 8 triangles), the icosahedron (made up of 20 triangles), the cube (made up of 6 squares) and the dodecahedron (made up of 12 pentagons)
plutonium - Plutonium is the name for the element with atomic number 94 and is represented by the symbol Pu It is a member of the actinide group
pnictogen - member of the nitrogen element group
POC (point-of-care) - POCT (point-of-care testing): services offered “at the bedside”, including in particular the analysis of the diagnosis
pOH - measure of the hydroxide ion concentration in an aqueous solution
polar bond - type of covalent bond in which the electrons are unequally shared between the atoms
polar coordinates: a two-dimensional coordinate system in which each point on a plane is determined by its distance r from a fixed point (e.g the origin) and its angle θ (theta) from a fixed direction (e.g the x axis)
polar molecule - molecule containing polar bonds such that the sum of the bond dipole moments is not zero
polonium - element atomic number 84 with element symbol Po
polyatomic ion - ion comprised of two or more atoms
Polygon: Line segments joined together to form a closed figure Rectangles, squares, and pentagons are just a few examples of polygons
polymer - large molecule made of rings or chains of repeated monomer subunits
Polynomial – An expression in algebra that consists of two or more terms
Polynomial – An expression in algebra that consists of two or more terms.
polynomial: an algebraic expression or equation with more than one term, constructed from variables and constants using only the operations of addition, subtraction, multiplication and non-negative whole-number exponents, e.g 5x2 – 4x + 4y + 7
Polynomial: The sum of two or more monomials
polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbon - hydrocarbon made of fused aromatic rings
polyprotic acid - acid able to donate more than one hydrogen atom or proton per molecule in an aqueous solution
Positive number – A number greater than zero
positron - the antimatter counterpart to an electron, which has a charge of +1
potassium - alkali metal with element symbol K and atomic number 19
potential difference - work required to move an electric charge from one point to another
potential energy - energy due to an object's position
Power – A product of equal factors. 3 x 3 x 3 = 33, read as “three to the third power” or “the third power of three.” Power and exponent can be used interchangeably.
PPB - parts per billion
PPM - parts per million
praseodymium - rare earth element with symbol Pr and atomic number 59
precipitate - to form an insoluble compound by reacting salts or altering a compound's solubility
precipitation reaction - chemical reaction between two soluble salts in which one product is an insoluble salt
pressure - measure of force per unit area
primary standard - very pure reagent
Prime number – A number th at can be divided by only itself and one.
prime numbers: integers greater than 1 which are only divisible by themselves and 1
Prime Numbers: Prime numbers are integers greater than 1 that are only divisible by themselves and 1
principal energy level - primary energy signature of an electron, indicated by quantum number n
principal quantum number - quantum number n that describes the size of an electron orbital
probability theory: the branch of mathematics concerned with analysis of random variables and events, and with the interpretation of probabilities (the likelihood of an event happening)
Probability: The likelihood of an event happening
product - substance formed as a result of a chemical reaction
Product: The sum obtained through multiplication of two or more numbers
projective geometry: a kind of non-Euclidean geometry which considers what happens to shapes when they are projected on to a non-parallel plane, e.g a circle may be projected into an ellipse or a hyperbola
promethium - rare earth element with atomic number 61 and element symbol Pm
proof - volume percentage of ethyl alcohol in an alcoholic beverage
Proper fraction – A fraction in which the numerator is less than the denominator.
Proper Fraction: A fraction whose denominator is greater than its numerator
property - characteristic of matter fixed by its state
Proportion – Written as two equal ratios. For example, 5 is to 4 as 10 is to 8, or 5/4 = 10/8.
protactinium - actinide with atomic number 91 and element symbol Pa
Protein: a basic constituent of all living cells A biological macromolecule is composed of one or more amino acid chains linked by peptide bonds
proton - component of the atomic nucleus with a defined mass of 1 and charge of +1
protonation - addition of a proton to an atom, ion, or molecule
Protractor: A semi-circle device used for measuring angles The edge of a protractor is subdivided into degrees
PSI - unit of pressure; pounds per square inch
Pulmonary embolism: obstruction of one of the branches of the pulmonary artery or of the pulmonary artery itself by a blood clot
pure substance - sample of matter with constant composition and distinct chemical properties
Pythagoras’ (Pythagorean) theorem: the square of the hypotenuse of a right angled triangle is equal to the sum of the squares of the two sides (a2 + b2 = c2)
Pythagorean theorem – A theorem concerning right triangles. It states that the sum of the squares of a right triangle’s two legs is equal to the square of the hypotenuse (a2 + b2 = c2).
Pythagorean triples: groups of three positive integers a, b and c such that the a2 + b2 = c2 equation of Pythagoras’ theorem, e.g ( 3, 4, 5), ( 5, 12, 13), ( 7, 24, 25), ( 8, 15, 17), etc
Quadrant: One quarter (qua) of the plane on the Cartesian coordinate system The plane is divided into 4 sections, each called a quadrant
Quadrants – The four divisions on a coordinate graph.
Quadratic equation – An equation that may be expressed as Ax2 + Bx + C = 0.
quadratic equation: a polynomial equation with a degree of 2 (i.e the highest power is 2), of the form ax2 + bx + c = 0, which can be solved by various methods including factoring, completing the square, graphing, Newton’s method and the quadratic formula
Quadratic Equation: An equation that can be written with one side equal to 0 Quadratic equations ask you to find the quadratic polynomial that is equal to zero
quadrature: the act of squaring, or finding a square equal in area to a given figure, or finding the area of a geometrical figure or the area under a curve (such as by a process of numerical integration)
Quadrilateral: A four-sided polygon
Quadruple: To multiply or to be multiplied by 4
qualitative analysis - determination of the chemical composition of a sample
Qualitative analysis determines the composition of a sample
Qualitative: Properties that must be described using qualities rather than numbers
Quality indicator: term used in food processing to define the microorganisms responsible for visual or taste alterations (e.g., mold or bacterial contamination) Quality indicator counts are used to assess product hygiene
quantitative analysis - determination of the amount or quantity of components in a sample
quantum - a discrete packet of matter or energy, plural is quanta
quantum number - value used to describe the energy levels of atoms or molecules There are four quantum numbers
quartic equation: a polynomial having a degree of 4 (i.e the highest power is 4), of the form ax4 + bx3 + cx2 + dx + e = 0, the highest order polynomial equation that can be solved by factorization into radicals by a general formula
Quartic: A polynomial having a degree of 4
quaternions: a number system that extends complex numbers to four dimensions (so that an object is described by a real number and three complex numbers, all mutually perpendicular to each other), which can be used to represent a three-dimensional rotation by just an angle and a vector
quintic equation: a polynomial having a degree of 5 (i.e the highest power is 5), of the form ax5 + bx4 + cx3 + dx2 + ex + f = 0, not solvable by factorization into radicals for all rational numbers
Quintic: A polynomial having a degree of 5
Quotient: The solution to a division problem
radiation - emitted energy in the form of rays, waves, or particles
Radiation refers to any form of emitted energy
Radical sign – A symbol that designates a square root.
radioactive tracer - radioactive element or compound added to a material to monitor its progress through a system
radioactivity - spontaneous emission of radiation as particles or photons from a nuclear reaction
radium - Radium is the name for the element with atomic number 88 and is represented by the symbol Ra It is a member of the alkaline earth metals group
Radius – A line segment where the endpoints lie one at the center of a circle and one on the circle. The term also refers to the length of this segment.
Radius: A distance found by measuring a line segment extending from the center of a circle to any point on the circle; the line extending from the center of a sphere to any point on the outside edge of the sphere
radon - radioactive gas with element symbol Rn and atomic number 86
Range: The difference between the maximum and minimum in a set of data
Raoult's Law - relation that states the vapor pressure of a solution depends on the mole fraction of solute added to the solution
Ratio – A comparison between two numbers or symbols May be written x:y, x/y, or x is to y
Ratio – A comparison between two numbers or symbols. May be written x:y, x/y, or x is to y.
Ratio: The relationship between two quantities Ratios can be expressed in words, fractions, decimals, or percentages Example: the ratio given when a team wins 4 out of 6 games is 4/6, 4:6, four out of six, or ~67%
Rational number – An integer or fraction such as 7/7 or 9/4 or 5/1. Any number that can be written as a fraction x/y with x a natural number and y an integer.
rational numbers: numbers that can be expressed as a fraction (or ratio) a⁄b of two integers (the integers are therefore a subset of the rationals), or alternatively a decimal which terminates after a finite number of digits or begins to repeat a sequence
Ray: A straight line with only one endpoint that extends infinitely
reactant - starting material for a chemical reaction
reaction - a chemical change that forms new substances
reaction quotient - Q - ratio of the concentration of products of a reaction to the concentration of the reactants
reaction rate - the speed at which chemical reactants form products
reagent - compound or mixture added to a system to produce a reaction or test if one occurs
real gas - gas that does not behave as an ideal gas because its molecules interact with one another
real numbers: all numbers (including natural numbers, integers, decimals, rational numbers and irrational numbers) which do not involve imaginary numbers (multiples of the imaginary unit i, or the square root of -1), may be thought of as all points on an infinitely long number line
Reciprocal – The multiplicative inverse of a number. For example, 2/3 is the reciprocal of 3/2.
reciprocal: a number which, when multiplied by x yields the multiplicative identity 1, and can therefore be thought of as the inverse of multiplication, e.g the reciprocal of x is 1⁄x, the reciprocal of 3⁄5 is 5⁄3
Rectangle: A parallelogram with four right angles
redox indicator - compound that changes color at a specific potential difference
redox reaction - set of chemical reactions involving reduction and oxidation
redox titration - titration of reducing agent by an oxidizing agent or vice versa
Reducing – Changing a fraction into its lowest terms. For example, 3/6 is reduced to ½.
reduction - half reaction in which a chemical species decreases its oxidation number, generally by gaining electrons
Reflection: The mirror image of a shape or object, obtained from flipping the shape on an axis
refrigerant - compound that readily absorbs heat and releases it at a higher temperature and pressure
relative density - ratio of density of a substance to the density of water
relative error - uncertainty of a measurement compared to the size of the measurement
relative standard deviation - measure of precision of data, calculated by dividing standard deviation by the average of data values
relative uncertainty - relative error; uncertainty of a measurement compared to the size of the measurement
Remainder: The number left over when a quantity cannot be divided evenly A remainder can be expressed as an integer, fraction, or decimal
Repeating Decimal: A decimal with endlessly repeating digits Example: 88 divided by 33 equals 2.6666666666666...("2.6 repeating")
residue - matter remaining after evaporation or distillation or an undesirable reaction byproduct or a recognizable portion of a larger molecule
resonance - average of two or more Lewis structure, differing in the position of electrons
reverse osmosis - filtration method that works by applying pressure on one side of a semipermeable membrane
reversible reactions - chemical reaction in which the products act as reactants for the reverse reaction
rhenium - transition metal with atomic number 75 and element symbol Re
Rheumatoid arthritis: the most frequent chronic inflammatory rheumatism Its cause is not fully known, but it is one of the autoimmune diseases (the body produces antibodies against its own tissues)
rhodium - transition metal with atomic number 45 and element symbol Rh
Rhombus: A parallelogram with four sides of equal length and no right angles
Riemannian geometry: a non-Euclidean geometry that studies curved surfaces and differentiable manifolds in higher dimensional spaces
Right angle – An angle which measures 90°.
Right Angle: An angle equal to 90°
Right triangle – A triangle which contains a 90° angle.
right triangle: a triangle (three sided polygon) containing an angle of 90°
Right Triangle: A triangle with one right angle
RNA - ribonucleic acid, a molecule which codes for amino acid sequences
RNA: the acronym of "ribonucleic acid" A polymer similar to DNA which, like DNA, has a role as a vector of genetic information The sugar in RNA is a ribose
roasting - metallurgical process in which a sulfide ore is heated in air to form a free metal or metal oxide
roentgenium - radioactive element with atomic number 111 and element symbol Rg
room temperature - temperature that is comfortable for humans, typically around 300 K
RT - abbreviation for room temperature; ambient temperature that is comfortable for humans
rubidium - Rubidium is the name for the element with atomic number 37 and is represented by the symbol Rb It is a member of the alkali metal group
ruthenium - transition metal with atomic number 45 and element symbol Ru
rutherfordium - radioactive transition metal with element symbol Rf and atomic number 104
salt bridge - connection containing a weak electrolyte located between the oxidation and reduction half cells of a galvanic cell
samarium - rare earth element with atomic number 62 and element symbol Sm
saponification - reaction between triglycerides and either sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide to form a fatty acid salt called soap and glycerol
saturated - either a substance in which all atoms are linked by single bonds, a solution that contains maximum dissolved solute concentration, or a thoroughly wetted material
saturated fat - lipid containing only single C-C bonds
saturated solution - chemical solution containing the maximum concentration of dissolved solute for that temperature
Scalene triangle – A triangle in which none of the sides or angles are equal.
Scalene Triangle: A triangle with three unequal sides
scandium - Scandium is the name for the element with atomic number 21 and is represented by the symbol Sc It is a member of the transition metals group
science - the systematic study of the nature and behavior of the world using observation and experimentation
scientific law - general rule that explains a body of observations in the form of a mathematical or verbal statement and implies a cause an effect relationship between observations
scientific method - system of acquiring knowledge and solving problems through observation and experimental testing of hypotheses
Scientific notation – A number between 1 and 10 and multiplied by a power of 10. Used for writing very large or very small numbers.
seaborgium - radioactive transition metal with element symbol Sg and atomic number 106
second quantum number - ℓ, the quantum number associated with the angular momentum of an atomic electron
Sector: The area between an arc and two radii of a circle, sometimes referred to as a wedge
selenium - nonmetal with element symbol Se and atomic number 34
self-similarity: object is exactly or approximately similar to a part of itself (in fractals, the shapes of lines at different iterations look like smaller versions of earlier shapes)
semi-metal - element with a partially filled p orbital, causing it to exhibit properties intermediate between those of metals and nonmetals
Sepsis: a serious systemic infection characterized by the presence of bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites in the blood and combined with an inflammatory immune-reaction (host response) that can result in the rapid deterioration of the patient’s general condition leading to possible organ failure
Septicaemia: serious systemic infection of the organism by pathogenic germs, indicated by the presence of microorganisms in the blood
sequence: an ordered set whose elements are usually determined based on some function of the counting numbers, e.g a geometric sequence is a set where each element is a multiple of the previous element; an arithmetic sequence is a set where each element is the previous element plus or minus a number
Set – A group of objects, numbers, etc.
set: a collection of distinct objects or numbers, without regard to their order, considered as an object in its own right
SI - System Internationale, the standard metric system of units
sigma bond - covalent bonds formed by overlapping of outer orbitals of adjacent atoms
significant digits: the number of digits to consider when using measuring numbers, those digits that carry meaning contributing to its precision (i.e ignoring leading and trailing zeros)
simplest formula - ratio of elements in a compound
Simplify – To combine terms into fewer terms.
simultaneous equations: a set or system of equations containing multiple variables which has a solution that simultaneously satisfies all of the equations (e.g the set of simultaneous linear equations 2x + y = 8 and x + y = 6, has a solution x = 2 and y = 4)
single displacement reaction - chemical reaction in which an ion of one reactant is exchanged for the corresponding ion of another reactant
skeletal structure - two-dimensional graphic representation of atoms and bonds in a molecule using element symbols and solid lines for bonds
Slope: Slope shows the steepness or incline of a line and is determined by comparing the positions of two points on the line (usually on a graph)
slope: the steepness or incline of a line, determined by reference to two points on the line, e.g the slope of the line y = mx + b is m, and represents the rate at which y is changing per unit of change in x
sodium - Sodium is the name for the element with atomic number 11 and is represented by the symbol Na
sol - type of colloid in which solid particles are suspended in a liquid
solid - state of matter characterized by high degree of organization, with a stable shape and volume
solidification - phase change that results in formation of a solid
solubility - maximum amount of solute that may be dissolved in a specified solute
solubility product - Ksp, the equilibrium constant for a chemical reaction in which a solid ionic compound dissolves to yield its ions in solution
solute - substance that is dissolved in a chemical solution
solution - homogeneous mixture of two or more substances
Solution, or Solution set – The entirety of answers that may satisfy the equation.
solvent - component of a solution present in the greatest proportion
specific gravity - ratio of the density of a substance to the density of water
specific heat - quantity of heat required to raise the temperature of a mass a specified amount
specific heat capacity - amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of a substance per unit mass
spectator ion - ion found in the same amount on both the reactant and product sides of a chemical reaction that does not affect equilibrium
spectroscopy - analysis of the interaction between matter and any portion of the electromagnetic spectrum
spectrum - characteristic wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation emitted or absorbed by an object or substance
spherical geometry: a type of non-Euclidean (elliptic) geometry using the two-dimensional surface of a sphere, where a curved geodesic (not a straight line) is the shortest paths between points
spherical trigonometry: a branch of spherical geometry which deals with polygons (especially triangles) on the sphere, and the relationships between their sides and angles
spin quantum number (Ms) - fourth quantum number, which indicated orientation of intrinsic angular momentum of an electron in an atom
spontaneous fission - spontaneous splitting of an atomic nucleus into two smaller nuclei and usually neutrons, accompanied by the release of energy
spontaneous process - process which can occur without any energy input from the surroundings
Square – The resulting number when a number is multiplied by itself. Also, a four-sided figure with equal sides and four right angles. The opposite sides are parallel.
Square root – The number which when multiplied by itself gives you the original number. For example, 6 is the square root of 36.
Square Root: A number squared is multiplied by itself; the square root of a number is whatever integer gives the original number when multiplied by itself For instance, 12 x 12 or 12 squared is 144, so the square root of 144 is 12
standard - reference used to calibrate measurements
standard hydrogen electrode - SHE, the standard measurement of electrode potential for the thermodynamic scale of redox potentials
standard oxidation potential - potential in volts generated by an oxidation half-reaction compared to the standard hydrogen electrode at 25 °C, 1 atm pressure and a concentration of 1 M
standard solution - a solution with a precisely known concentration
standard temperature and pressure - STP, 273 K (0° Celsius or 32° Fahrenheit) and 1 atm pressure
Staphylococcus: a genus of Gram-positive bacteria, usually observed in clusters resembling bunches of grapes
state of matter - homogeneous phase of matter (e.g., solid, liquid)
steam distillation - distillation process in which steam or water is added to lower boiling points of compounds
steel - an alloy of iron that contains carbon
Stem and Leaf: A graphic organizer used to organize and compare data Similar to a histogram, stem and leaf graphs organize intervals or groups of data
steric number - number of atoms bonded to a central atom of an molecule plus number of lone electron pairs attached to the central atom
stock solution - concentrated solution intended to be diluted to a lower concentration for actual use
stoichiometry - study of quantitative relationships between substances undergoing a physical or chemical change
STP - standard temperature and pressure; 273 K (0° Celsius or 32° Fahrenheit) and 1 atm pressure
Straight angle – An angle which is equal to 180°.
Straight line – The shortest distance between two points. It continues indefinitely in both directions.
strong acid - acid that completely dissociates into its ions in aqueous solution
strong base - base that completely dissociates into its ions in aqueous solution (e.g., NaOH)
strong electrolyte - electrolyte that completely dissociates in aqueous solution
strontium - alkaline earth with element symbol Sr and atomic number 38
sublimation - phase transition from solid phase directly to vapor phase
subset: a subsidiary collection of objects that all belong to, or is contained in, an original given set, e.g subsets of {a, b} could include: {a}, {b}, {a, b} and {}
subshell - subdivision of electron shells separated by electron orbitals (e.g., s, p, d, f)
substituent - atom or functional group that replaces a hydrogen atom in a hydrocarbon
substitution reaction - chemical reaction in which a functional group or atom is replaced by another functional group or atom
substrate - medium on which a reaction occurs or reagent that offers a surface for absorption
Substrate: a molecule used as a starting product which binds to the active ste of ain enzyme and is converted into one or more products
Subtraction: The operation of finding the difference between two numbers or quantities by "taking away" one from the other
sulfur - Sulfur is the name for the element with atomic number 16 and is represented by the symbol S
supernate - the liquid result of a precipitation reaction
supersaturated - supercooled; condition in which a liquid has been cooled to a temperature below which crystallization normally occurs, yet without solid formation
Supplementary angles – Two angles that when combined the sum equals 180°.
Supplementary Angles: Two angles are supplementary if their sum is equal to 180°
surd: the n-th root a number, such as √5, the cube root of 7, etc
surface tension - physical property equal to the force per unit area needed to expand the surface of a liquid
surfactant - species that acts as a wetting agent to lower liquid surface tension and increase spreadability
suspension - heterogeneous mixture of solid particles in a fluid
symmetry: the correspondence in size, form or arrangement of parts on a plane or line (line symmetry is where each point on one side of a line has a corresponding point on the opposite side, e.g a picture a butterfly with wings that are identical on either side; plane symmetry refers to similar figures being repeated at different but regular locations on the plane)
Symmetry: Two halves that match perfectly and are identical across an axis
symmetry: the correspondence in size, form or arrangement of parts on a plane or line (line symmetry is where each point on one side of a line has a corresponding point on the opposite side, e.g. a picture a butterfly with wings that are identical on either side; plane symmetry refers to similar figures being repeated at different but regular locations on the plane)
Syndromic approach: medical approach based on analyzing a syndrome (i.e., a set of symptoms and/or clinical signs) that uses a single test to identify the disease-causing organism(s) responsible for this syndrome, whether they are viruses, bacteria, fungi or parasites
synthesis reaction - direct combination reaction; chemical reaction in which two or more species combine to form a more complex product
Tangent: A straight line touching a curve from only one point
tantalum - transition metal with element symbol Ta and atomic number 73
technetium - transition metal with element symbol Tc and atomic number 43
tellurium - metalloid with element symbol Te and atomic number 52
temperature - property of matter that is a measure of the kinetic energy of its particles; measure of heat or cold
tensor: a collection of numbers at every point in space which describe how much the space is curved, e.g. in four spatial dimensions, a collection of ten numbers is needed at each point to describe the properties of the mathematical space or manifold, no matter how distorted it may be
terbium - rare earth element with symbol Tb and atomic number 65
Term – A literal or numerical expression that has its own sign.
term: in an algebraic expression or equation, either a single number or variable, or the product of several numbers and variables separated from another term by a + or – sign, e.g in the expression 3 + 4x + 5yzw, the 3, the 4x and the 5yzw are all separate terms
Term: Piece of an algebraic equation; a number in a sequence or series; a product of real numbers and/or variables
Tessellation: Congruent plane figures/shapes that cover a plane completely without overlapping
Test tubes are a common type of chemistry glassware
tetrahedral - molecular geometry in which a central atom form four bonds directed toward the corners of a regular tetrahedron
Texas carbon - a carbon atom that forms five covalent bonds, forming a structure resembling a star
thallium - metal with atomic number 81 and element symbol Tl
The Celsius scale is a common temperature scale in chemistry
The flame test is an analytical technique used to help identify metal ions
The Joule is a unit of energy
The periodic table organizes elements according to trends in their properties
theorem: a mathematical statement or hypothesis which has been proved on the basis of previously established theorems and previously accepted axioms, effectively the proof of the truth of a statement or expression
theoretical yield - quantity of product that would be obtained if the limiting reactant in a reaction reacted completely
theory - a well-established explanation of scientific data which can be disproven by a single contrary result
Theranostics: the association of a diagnostic test with a therapy The foundation of personalized medicine
thermodynamics - scientific study of heat, work, and related properties of mechanical and chemical systems
thermosetting plastic - a polymer that is made irreversibly rigid upon heating
thiol - an organic sulfur compound consisting of an alkyl or aryl group and a sulfur-hydrogen group; R-SH
thiol group - functional group containing a sulfur bound to a hydrogen, -SH
thorium - Thorium is the name for the element with atomic number 90 and is represented by the symbol Th
thulium - rare earth element with atomic number 69 with element symbol Tm
tin - metal with atomic number 50 and element symbol Sn
tincture - an extract of a sample into a solution, usually with alcohol as the solvent
titanium - transition metal with element symbol Ti and atomic number 22
Titanium is a useful transition metal
titrant - solution of known concentration used in a titration to determine the concentration of a second solution
titration - process of adding a known volume and concentration of one solution to another to determine the concentration of the second solution
topology: the field of mathematics concerned with spatial properties that are preserved under continuous deformations of objects (such as stretching, bending and morphing, but not tearing or gluing)
torr - unit of pressure equal to 1 mm Hg or 1/760 standard atmospheric pressure
trans isomer - isomer in which functional groups occur on opposite sides of the double bond
transcendental number: an irrational number that is “not algebraic”, i.e. no finite sequence of algebraic operations on integers (such as powers, roots, sums, etc.) can be equal to its value, examples being π and e. For example, √2 is irrational but not transcendental because it is the solution to the polynomial x2 = 2.
transfinite numbers: cardinal numbers or ordinal numbers that are larger than all finite numbers, yet not necessarily absolutely infinite
transition interval - concentration range of chemical species that can be detected using an indicator
transition metal - element from the B group of the periodic table characterized by having partially filled d electron orbital sublevels
Translation: A translation, also called a slide, is a geometrical movement in which a figure or shape is moved from each of its points the same distance and in the same direction
translational energy - energy of motion through space
transmute - to change from one form or substance into another
Transversal – A line which crosses two or more parallel or nonparallel lines in a plane.
Transversal: A line that crosses/intersects two or more lines
Trapezoid: A quadrilateral with exactly two parallel sides
Tree Diagram: Used in probability to show all possible outcomes or combinations of an event
Triangle – A three-sided closed figure. It contains three angles that when combined the sum equals 180°.
Triangle: A three-sided polygon
triangular number: a number which can be represented as an equilateral triangle of dots, and is the sum of all the consecutive numbers up to its largest prime factor – it can also be calculated as n(n + 1)⁄2, e.g. 15 = 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 = 5(5 + 1)⁄2
trigonometry: the branch of mathematics that studies the relationships between the sides and the angles of right triangles, and deals with and with the trigonometric functions (sine, cosine, tangent and their reciprocals)
Trinomial – An expression in algebra which consists of three terms.
Trinomial: A polynomial with three terms
trinomial: an algebraic equation with 3 terms, e.g 3x + 5y + 8z; 3x3 + 2x2 + x; etc
triple point - temperature and pressure at which the solid, liquid, and vapor phase of a substance coexist at equilibrium with each other
tungsten - transition metal with atomic number 74 and element symbol W
Two oxygen atoms bond to form an oxygen molecule
Tyndall effect - the scattering of a beam of light as is passes through a colloid
type theory: an alternative to naive set theory in which all mathematical entities are assigned to a type within a hierarchy of types, so that objects of a given type are built exclusively from objects of preceding types lower in the hierarchy, thus preventing loops and paradoxes
Typing: a method which can help in the assessment of the compatibility between two individuals, their organs, tissues or blood A technique used to characterize bacteria
Ultraviolet light is sometimes called black light because it's beyond the visible spectrum
ultraviolet radiation - ionizing electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength between 100 nm and 400 nm Sometimes called black light
UN ID - a four-digit code used to identify dangerous or flammable chemicals United Nations Identifier
UN number - a UN ID used for the transport of dangerous materials
Uniform: Term meaning "all the same" Uniform can be used to describe size, texture, color, design, and more
unit - a standard used for comparison in measurements
Unit: A standard quantity used in measurement Inches and centimeters are units of length, pounds and kilograms are units of weight, and square meters and acres are units of area
universal gas constant - usually indicated by R, the gas constant is the Boltzmann constant in units of energy per temperature per mole: R = 8.3145 J/mol·K
universal indicator - a mixture of pH indicators used to measure pH over a wide range of values
universal solvent - a chemical that dissolves most substances While water is often called the universal solvent, most nonpolar molecules are insoluble in it
Unknown – A symbol or letter whose value is unknown.
unsaturated - either refers to a solution that can dissolve more solute or to an organic compound containing double or triple carbon-carbon bonds
unsaturated fat - a lipid that contains no carbon-carbon double bonds
unsaturated solution - a solution in which solute concentration is lower than its solubility All solute present dissolves into the solution
uranium - element 92 with symbol U
vacuum - a volume containing little to no matter (no pressure)
valence - number of electrons needed to fill the outermost electron shell
valence bond theory - explanation of bonding between two atoms as a result of the overlap of half-filled atomic orbitals
valence electron - outer electron most likely to participate in bond formation or a chemical reaction
Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory - molecular model that predicts geometry of atoms in a molecule by minimizing electrostatic forces between valence electrons around a central atom
Van der Waals forces - weak forces that contribute to intermolecular bonding
Van der Waals radius - half the distance between two unbonded atoms in a state of electrostatic balance
vanadium - Vanadium is the name for the element with atomic number 23 and is represented by the symbol V It is a member of the transition metals group
vapor - a condensable gas
vapor pressure - pressure exerted by a vapor in equilibrium with liquid or solid phases of the same substance or the partial pressure of a vapor above its liquid or solid
vaporization - phase transition from the liquid phase to gas phase
Variable – A symbol that stands for a number.
Variable: A letter used to represent a numerical value in equations and expressions Example: in the expression 3x + y, both y and x are the variables
vector - a geometric object that has both magnitude and direction
vector space: a three-dimensional area where vectors can be plotted, or a mathematical structure formed by a collection of vectors
vector: a physical quantity having magnitude and direction, represented by a directed arrow indicating its orientation in space
Venn diagram: a diagram where sets are represented as simple geometric figures (often circles), and overlapping and similar sets are represented by intersections and unions of the figures
Venn Diagram: A Venn diagram is usually shown as two overlapping circles and is used to compare two sets The overlapping section contains information that is true of both sides or sets and the non-overlapping portions each represent a set and contain information that is only true of their set
Venn diagram: a diagram where sets are represented as simple geometric figures (often circles), and overlapping and similar sets are represented by intersections and unions of the figures
Venous thrombosis: the formation of a blood clot in a vein It usually occurs in a vein of the lower limbs, in the leg or hip, rarely in the upper limbs
Vertex: The point of intersection between two or more rays, often called a corner A vertex is where two-dimensional sides or three-dimensional edges meet
Vertical angles – The opposite angles that are formed by the intersection of two lines. Vertical angles are equal.
Virus: a rudimentary infectious microorganism, containing a single type of nucleic acid encaged in a protein capsid, which uses the materials of the cell that it parasitizes to synthesize its own constituents It reproduces using just its own genetic material
viscosity - how readily a fluid flows, which is the ratio between an applied shear stress and the resulting velocity gradient
visible light - electromagnetic radiation that can be perceived by the human eye, usually from 380 nm to 750 nm (400 to 700 nm)
volatile - a substance that readily vaporizes
Volume – The amount which can be held, as measured in cubic units The volume of a rectangular prism = length times width times height
volume - the three-dimensional space occupied by a solid, liquid, or gas
Volume: A unit of measure describing how much space a substance occupies or the capacity of a container, provided in cubic units
volumetric flask - type of chemistry glassware used to prepare solutions of known concentration
Volumetric flasks are used to prepare chemical solutions
volume-volume percentage - v/v% is the ratio between the volume of a substance in a solution to the total volume of the solution, multiplied by 100%
VSEPR - see Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion Theory
water - a compound formed by one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms Usually this refers to the liquid form of the molecule
water gas - a combustion fuel that contains hydrogen gas and carbon monoxide
Water is called the universal solvent because so many compounds dissolve in it
water of crystallization - water the stoichiometrically bound in a crystal
water of hydration - water stoichiometrically bound in a compound, forming a hydrate
wavefunction - a function that describes the probability of the quantum state of a particle in terms of spin, time, position, and/or momentum
wavelength - the distance between identical points of two successive waves
wave-particle duality - the concept that photons and subatomic particles exhibit properties of both waves and particles
wax - a lipid consisting of chains of esters or alkanes derived from fatty acids and alcohols
weak acid - an acid that only partially dissociates into its ions in water
weak base - a base that only partially dissociates in water
weak electrolyte - an electrolyte that does not completely dissociate into its ions in water
wedge-and-dash projection - molecule representation using three types of lines to show three-dimensional structure
weight - the force on a mass due to the acceleration of gravity (mass multiplied by acceleration)
Weight: The measure of how heavy something is
Whole number – 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, etc
Whole Number: A whole number is a positive integer
word equation - a chemical equation expressed in words rather than chemical formulas
work - force multiplied by distance or the amount of energy needed to move a mass against a force
working solution - a chemical solution prepared for use in a lab, usually by diluting a stock solution
x: A symbol used to represent an unknown quantity in an equation or expression
X: The Roman numeral for 10
X-axis – The horizontal axis on a coordinate graph
X-coordinate – The first number in an ordered pair It refers to the distance on the x-axis
xenon - Xenon is an element with an atomic number of 54 and atomic weight of 131.29 It is an odorless inert gas that is used to fill cathode ray tubes
Xenon is often found in plasma balls
X-Intercept: The value of x where a line or curve intersects the x-axis
x-rays - X-rays are light rays with a wavelength from 0.01 to 1.0 nanometers Also Known As: X radiation
Yard: A unit of measure that is equal to approximately 91.5 centimeters or 3 feet
Y-axis – The vertical axis on a coordinate graph
Y-coordinate – The second number in an ordered pair It refers to the distance on the y-axis
yield - In chemistry, yield refers to the quantity of a product obtained from a chemical reaction Chemists refer to experimental yield, actual yield, theoretical yield, and percent yield to differentiate between calculated yield values and those actually obtained from a reaction
Y-Intercept: The value of y where a line or curve intersects the y-axis
ytterbium - Ytterbium is element number 70 with an element symbol Yb
yttrium - Yttrium is an element element with an atomic number of 39 and atomic weight of 88.90585 It is a dark gray metal that is used to make alloys for nuclear technology because the element has a high neutron transparency
Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory: the standard form of set theory and the most common foundation of modern mathematics, based on a list of nine axioms (usually modified by a tenth, the axiom of choice) about what kinds of sets exist, commonly abbreviated together as ZFC
Zeta function: A function based on an infinite series of reciprocals of exponents (Riemann’s zeta function is the extension of Euler’s simple zeta function into the domain of complex numbers)
zeta potential (ζ-potential) - the potential difference across the phase boundary between a liquid and a solid
zinc - Zinc is the name for the element with atomic number 30 and is represented by the symbol Zn It is a member of the transition metals group
Zinc is one of the transition metals
zirconium - Zirconium is the name for the element with atomic number 40 and is represented by the symbol Zr It is a member of the transition metals group
zwitterion - the dipolar amino acid formed when a hydrogen ion transfers from an acid group to an amine group
salt - ionic compound formed by reacting an acid and a base; sometimes refers only to sodium chloride, NaCl
Zaitsev rule - rule in organic chemistry that states alkene formation from an elimination reaction will produce more highly substituted alkenes
Alkalinity is a measure of how basic a substance is JazzIRT / Getty Images
salt - ionic compound formed by reacting an acid and a base; sometimes refers only to sodium chloride, NaCl
The flame test is an analytical technique used to help identify metal ions (c) Philip Evans / Getty Images
Zaitsev rule - rule in organic chemistry that states alkene formation from an elimination reaction will produce more highly substituted alkenes
.jpg)