Properties of Water and Basic Chemistry Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key chemical definitions and emergent properties of water based on the lecture transcript.

Adhesion

The property describing water molecules sticking to a polar or charged substance other than water, such as plant xylem walls.

Cohesion

The property of water molecules sticking to each other through hydrogen bonds.

Specific Heat

The measurement of heat energy required to be absorbed or lost for $1\,g$ of a substance to change its temperature by $1^\circ\text{C}$.

Kinetic Energy

The energy possessed by molecules due to their motion, which is measured as temperature using a thermometer.

Thermal Energy

The total energy of all the molecules contained within a substance.

Avogadro's Number

The chemical counting constant equal to $6.02 \times 10^{23}$, representing the number of atoms, molecules, or formula units in one mole.

Molarity

A unit of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute divided by the total volume of solution in liters.

Solvent

Any substance that acts as a dissolving agent to dissolve a solute within a mixture.

Hydration Shell

A surrounding shield or barrier formed by water molecules around individual ions when a substance dissolves.

Hydronium Ion

The $H_3O^+$ ion that forms when a water molecule gains an extra proton, giving it a positive charge.