Chemistry key terms

A biological extraction method in which plants absorb metal compounds, after which the plants are harvested and burned to produce metal-containing ash.

A small preliminary investigation used to check the method and identify safe, practical and measurable values for the main investigation.

A piece of apparatus used to transfer one accurately measured, fixed volume of solution.

A flat section of a temperature–time graph where the temperature stays constant.

A scientifically reasonable process explaining how a proposed cause could produce an outcome.

A model in which an atom is a ball of positive charge with negative electrons embedded throughout it.

A person involved in developing public policy, such as a politician or government official.

A substance that causes damage to the environment or harms living organisms when released into air, water or land.

A polymer whose chain contains amide links; nylon is a polyamide.

An ion made from more than one covalently bonded atom, such as nitrate, $NO_3^-$, or sulfate, $SO_4^{2-}$.

A polymer containing many ester links in its chain.

A simple polymer whose large molecules contain long chains of carbon atoms bonded to hydrogen atoms.

A substance consisting of very large, long-chain molecules made from many repeating sections joined by covalent bonds.

The continuous chain of bonded atoms running through a polymer molecule; in the addition polymers considered here, it is a carbon chain.

The reaction in which many monomer molecules join together to form a polymer.

A polymer chain formed when many amino-acid monomers join by condensation polymerisation.

The side of a reversible reaction favoured at equilibrium, indicated by the relative amounts of reactants and products.

A positive correlation is a pattern in which two measured quantities tend to increase together.

A positively charged ion formed when an atom loses one or more electrons.

A positively charged particle formed when an atom loses one or more electrons.

A positively charged particle formed when a metal atom loses one or more electrons.

A test result showing that the ion being tested for is present.

Water that is safe to drink and has sufficiently low levels of dissolved salts and microbes.

A substance being tested to find out whether, and how effectively, it catalyses a particular reaction.

The energy transferred per unit charge between two points, measured in volts (V); it is commonly called voltage.

A whole-number power of ten, such as $10^3$, $10^0$ or ${10}^{-}$.

The loss of desired product while it is transferred, separated, purified or collected.

An action taken to reduce the chance or severity of harm while working.

An insoluble solid that forms when two solutions react.

To form a solid from substances in a solution; early oceans produced solid carbonates that settled as sediments.