AP Chemistry: Reactions in Aqueous Solution Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts of aqueous reactions, electrolytes, acid-base theory, oxidation-reduction, molarity, and titration terminology based on lecture notes.

Solute

The substance dissolved in a solvent to form a solution.

Solvent

The dissolving medium in a solution.

Strong Electrolyte

A substance that completely ionizes or dissociates in water, including soluble ionic compounds and strong acids.

Weak Electrolyte

A substance that only partially ionizes in water, including ionic compounds of low solubility such as $Mg(OH)_2$ and weak acids or weak bases.

Non-electrolyte

A molecular compound (except acids) that does not form ions when dissolved in aqueous solution.

Precipitation Reactions

Double replacement reactions in aqueous solution that produce an insoluble product.

Spectator Ions

Ions present in an aqueous solution that do not participate directly in a reaction and remain unchanged on both sides of the ionic equation.

Acid (Theoretical Definition)

A molecular compound that increases the $H^+$ ion concentration in an aqueous solution.

Base (Theoretical Definition)

A substance, usually a metallic hydroxide, that increases the $OH^-$ ion concentration in an aqueous solution.

Neutralization

A reaction in which an acid reacts with a base to form water ($H_2O$) and a salt.

Metathesis Reactions

An alternate name for double replacement reactions, driven by the formation of a precipitate, water, or a gas.

Driving Force

A product formation (such as an insoluble precipitate, water, or a gas) that keeps new combinations of ions from reforming the original reactant combinations.

Oxidation

A process in a redox reaction driven by the loss of electrons, an increase in oxidation number, or the addition of oxygen atoms.

Reduction

A process in a redox reaction driven by the gain of electrons, a decrease in oxidation number, or the removal of oxygen atoms.

Reducing Agent

The reactant that promotes reduction in another species by losing electrons, thereby becoming oxidized itself.

Oxidizing Agent

The reactant that promotes oxidation in another species by gaining electrons, thereby becoming reduced itself.

Molarity ($M$)

A unit of concentration representing the number of moles of solute per liter of solution ($[X] = \text{moles/Liter}$).

Quantitative Chemical Analysis

An analysis involving measurements of volume or quantity, such as a titration or volumetric analysis.

Qualitative Analysis

An analysis that involves no measurements, such as using solubility rules to identify an unknown ionic compound.

Titration

A volumetric chemical analysis technique used to measure reactant amounts by reacting a solution of known volume or concentration with an unknown.

Indicator

A chemical substance, such as phenolphthalein, that signals when equivalent amounts of reactants have been mixed in a titration.

Equivalence Point

The point in a titration where equivalent amounts of reactants have been completely mixed and reacted.

Standardization

The process of determining the exact concentration of a solution using a primary standard.

Primary Standard

A highly pure, stable chemical compound used as a reference material to standardize a titration solution.