Glossary

• acid


  a species that releases H+ ions in aqueous solutions
• acid dissociation constant Ka


  the equilibrium constant that shows the extent of dissociation of a weak acid
• acid-base pair


  a pair of two species that can transform into each other by gain or loss of a proton
• activation energy


  the minimum energy required to start a reaction by the breaking of bonds
• actual yield 


  the amount of product obtained from a reaction
• addition polymerisation


  formation of a very long molecular chain by repeated addition reactions of many unsaturated alkene molecules (monomers)
• adsorbtion


  the process that occurs when a gas or liquid or solute is held to the surface of a solid
• alicyclic 


  containing carbon atoms joined together in a ring that is not aromatic
• aliphatic


  containing carbon atoms joined together in straight or branched chains
• alkali


  a type of base that dissolves in water forming hydroxide ions, OH-(aq)
• alkanes


  they hydrocarbon homologous series with single carbon-carbon bonds and the general formula CnH2n+2
• alkenes 


  the hydrocarbon homologous series with double carbon-carbon bonds and the general formula CnH2n
• alkyl group 


  a side chain formed by removing a hydrogen atom removed from an alkane parent chain eg, CH3, C2H5; any alkyl group id often shown as R
• alkynes 


  the hydrocarbon homologous series with triple carbon-carbon bonds and the general formula CnH2n-2