Glossary of Chemistry Terms - C

C

• catalyst - a chemical compound used to change the rate (either to speed up or slow down) of a reaction, but is regenerated at the end of the reaction.
• cation - positively charged ion
• centrifuge - equipment used to separate substances based on density by rotating the tubes around a centred axis
• cell potential - the force in a galvanic cell that pulls electron through reducing agent to oxidizing agent
• chemical Law - certain rules that pertain to the laws of nature and chemistry - examples
• chemical reaction - the change of one or more substances into another or multiple substances
• colloid - mixture of evenly dispersed substances, such as many milks
• combustion - an exothermic reaction between an oxidant and fuel with heat and often light
• compound - a substance that is made up of two or more chemically bonded elements
• condensation - the phase change from gas to liquid
• conductor - material that allows electric flow more freely
• covalent bond - chemical bond that involves sharing electrons
• crystal - a solid that is packed with ions, molecules or atoms in an orderly fashion
• cuvette - glassware used in spectroscopic experiments. It is usually made of plastic, glass or quartz and should be as clean and clear as possible