Vocabulary for Solids, Liquids, and Solutions

amorphous

without a fixed or definite form. Shape, or structure.

crystalline

something that is clear, transparent, or composed of crystals.

volatile

how easy will one thing will evaporate.

vapor pressure

how quickly something evaporates from the liquid.

viscosity

how long it takes for something to flow.

surface tension

property of the surface of a liquid that allows it to resist external forces.

sublimation

phase change from solid to directly gas.

boiling point

the temperature at which a liquid changes to gas.

melting point

temperature at which solids begin to liquefy.

evaporation

spontaneous transition from liquid phase to gas phase.

deposition

Phase Change from gas to directly solid.

condensation

change of state of matter from gas phase to liquid phase.

solution

homogenous mixture.

solvent

What is being dissolved, usually water.

solubility

how much will dissolve in 100g of water.

solute

the substance that is dissolved.

immiscible

unmixable.

saturated

maximum amount of solute that is capable of dissolving.

unsaturated

less than maximum amount of solute that is capable of dissolving.

supersaturated

dissolving more than the maximum amount.

miscible

mixable.

electrolyte

electrically conductive solution that contains ions, atoms, molecules.

nonelectrolyte

doesn't conduct electricity.

dissociation

break apart, solute separates particles.

hydration

Process where a solute is dissolved in water, the solute is surrounded by water molecules.

molarity

the concentration of a solution.

colligative property

properties of a solution that depend on the ratio of the solute to solvent.

colloid

one substance is dispersed evenly throughout another.

suspension

settles and falls down.

alloy

a homogenous mixture of two or more metallic elements.