C3 - Chemicals of the Natural Environment

Metals

Elements that are good conductors of electricity and heat.

Metallic Bonding

Formed by the electrostatic attraction between positive metal ions and surrounding electrons in a regular arrangement.

Ductility

The ability of a material to be drawn into thin sheets or wires without breaking.

Malleability

The ability of a material to be pressed into a new shape without breaking or returning to its original shape.

Reactivity Series of Metals

A list of metals from most reactive to least reactive, used to predict the speed of metal reactions.

Displacement Reactions

Reactions where a more reactive metal displaces a less reactive metal in a compound.

Ore

A rock containing a metal that can be extracted, with low-grade ores having a small metal percentage and high-grade ores having a large percentage.

Low Grade Ore

An ore that contains only a small percentage of a metal.

High Grade Ore

Ann ore that contains a large percentage of a metal.

Phytoextraction

A process of extracting metal ions from plants. This is done by burning plants to produce metal-rich ash.

Bioleaching

A process of using bacteria to oxidize metal oxide ores in order to extract metals.

Electrolytes

Ionic compounds in water or molten form that conduct electricity.

Electrolysis

The process of breaking down electrolytes using an electric current.

Cations

Positively charged ions

Anions

Negatively charged ions

Electrodes

A conductor connected to the source of a current. In electrolysis, these are submerged in the electrolyte substance to create a circuit.

Cathode

The negatively charged electrode that attracts positively charged ions.

Anode

The positively charged electrode that attracts negatively charged ions.

Half Equation

An equation that shows the change that one substance undergoes in a chemical reaction.

Ionic equation

An equation that shows the ions involved in a reaction, as well as the resulting products.

Oxidation

The process of a substance losing oxygen, or gaining electrons, during a chemical reaction.

Reduction

The process of a substance losing oxygen, or gaining electrons, during a chemical reaction.

Oxidation-Reduction (Redox) Reaction

A reaction where electrons are transferred between chemical species, involving oxidation (loss of electrons) and reduction (gain of electrons).

Crude Oil

A natural petroleum product made of hydrocarbons, used for fuels and petrochemical feedstock.

Non-Renewable Resource

Resources that exist in finite amounts and cannot be replaced.

Hydrocarbons

Molecules that are made of only hydrogen and carbon atoms.

Volatility

How easily a substance evaporates.

Flammability

How easily a substance can ignite.

Boiling Point

The temperature at which a substance goes from its liquid phase to its gas phase.

Catalyst

A substance that changes the rate of a chemical reaction.

Alcohols

Organic compounds with a hydroxyl group (-OH) as their functional group.

Functional group

Groups of atoms that determine the chemical properties of an organic compound, such as the hydroxyl group in alcohols (-OH) and the carboxyl group in carboxylic acids (-COOH).

Carboxylic Acids

Organic compounds containing a carboxyl group (-COOH) as their functional group.

Hydroxyl group

The -OH group that is characteristic of alcohols and gives them their properties.

Carboxyl group

The -COOH group that is characteristic of carboxylic acids and imparts specific chemical properties to these compounds.

Empirical Formula

A formula used to show the simplest ratio of each element present in a compound.

Properties of Metals

High melting point, malleable, ductile, hard, good conductivity.

Intermolecular Forces

Forces of attraction between molecules.

Alkenes

Hydrocarbons that contain a carbon-carbon double bond.

Hydrocarbon Cracking

A process of breaking apart longer hydrocarbons to produce smaller alkanes and alkenes.