Chemical Bonds, Water Properties, and Acid-Base Chemistry

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering electronegativity, chemical bonds, water properties, solution types, and acid-base chemistry based on lecture notes.

Electronegativity

A measure of an atom's ability or strength to attract and pull electrons toward itself in a chemical reaction.

Nonpolar covalent bond

A type of covalent bond formed when electrons are shared equally between atoms that have similar or close electronegativity.

Polar covalent bond

A type of covalent bond in which electrons are shared unequally because one atom has a stronger electronegativity and pulls the electrons closer to itself.

Ionic bond

A chemical bond formed when an atom with high electronegativity takes an electron from another atom, resulting in charged ions.

Hydrogen bond

A weak attraction between a slightly positive atom, such as a hydrogen atom, and a slightly negative atom, such as oxygen or nitrogen.

Polar molecule

A molecule in which electrons are pulled closer to one atom than another, creating an uneven charge attraction across the molecule.

Cohesion

The property and tendency of water molecules to stick to one another via hydrogen bonds.

Adhesion

The property and tendency of water molecules to form hydrogen bonds with substances that are not water.

Solvent

The dissolving agent of a solution, such as water, which breaks down a solute.

Solute

The substance that is added to and dissolved by a solvent in a solution, such as salt.

Solution

A homogeneous liquid mixture composed of a solute dissolved in a solvent.

Hydrophilic

"Water-loving"; describes polar or charged substances that readily dissolve in water.

Hydrophobic

"Water-fearing"; describes nonpolar substances, such as fats and oils, that do not dissolve in water or form hydrogen bonds with it.

Reactant

The starting material in a chemical reaction equation.

Product

The end material resulting from a chemical reaction equation.

Acid

A substance that acts as a proton donor by releasing $H^+$ ions into a solution, resulting in a low pH from 0 to 6.9.

Base

A substance that acts as a proton acceptor by binding $H^+$ ions, resulting in a high pH above 7.

pH scale

A measurement scale ranging from 0 to 14 that indicates how acidic or basic a solution is based on its concentration of hydrogen ions ($H^+$).

Buffer solution

A solution that maintains a constant pH to help maintain internal constancy, or homeostasis, within cells.