Geology, Water Chemistry, and Physical Properties of Water

Vocabulary flashcards covering introductory geology career paths, water molecular structure, hydrogen bonding, ionic bonding in sodium chloride, dissolution, nonpolar molecules, and heat capacity.

Responsible Mining Initiative

A program at UW Eau Claire designed to train environmental geologists, mining geologists, and government regulators to prevent contamination, which also sponsors paid student internships and scholarships.

Polar Molecule

A molecule that is electrically neutral overall, but has different electrical charges on different parts of the molecule, such as the negative oxygen and positive hydrogens in water.

Hydrogen Bond

An intermolecular attraction formed when a positively charged hydrogen atom in one polar molecule is attracted to a negatively charged part of a different molecule.

Predicted Boiling Point of Water

$-68\,^\circ\text{C}$, which is the calculated boiling temperature of water in the absence of hydrogen bonding.

Actual Boiling Point of Water

$100\,^\circ\text{C}$, which is significantly higher than predicted because substantial thermal energy is required to break strong intermolecular hydrogen bonds.

Sodium ($\text{Na}$)

An element with atomic number $11$ and atomic mass $23$ that has an uncharged electron configuration of 2, 8, 1, tending to lose one electron to form a stable ion with a $+1$ charge.

Chlorine ($\text{Cl}$)

An element with atomic number $17$ and atomic mass $35$ that has an uncharged electron configuration of 2, 8, 7, tending to gain one electron to form a stable ion with a $-1$ charge.

Dissolution (Dissolving)

The process in which water molecules form hydrogen bonds with ions (such as $\text{Na}^+$ and $\text{Cl}^-$) until the ions become more attracted to the water than to each other, cleaving the ionic molecule.

Nonpolar Molecule

A molecule, such as an oil composed of carbon and hydrogen chains, that maintains the same neutral electrical charge throughout and therefore cannot interact with or dissolve in polar water.

Heat Capacity

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of $1\,\text{g}$ of a substance by $1\,^\circ\text{C}$ without undergoing a phase change.

Rubber Band Concept

An analogy describing how opposite electrical charges attract, illustrating how hydrogen bonds between water molecules act like strong bands that limit molecular motion and give water a high heat capacity.