Glossary of Chemical Terms - D

D

dehydration

A reaction in which the elements that make up water (twice as many hydrogen as oxygen atoms) are removed from an organic compound.

density

The ratio of mass to volume.

deprotonation

Losing a proton (H⁺).

detergent

A substance used for removing dirt. Detergents differ from soaps in that detergents are compounds that are derived from sulfur-containing organic acids.

deuterium

The isotope of hydrogen that has one neutron.

dextrorotatory

Able to rotate plane-polarized light in a clockwise fashion.

diffusion

The gradual mixing of the molecules of 2 or more substances by random molecular motion.

dilute

A solution that contains a relatively small amount of solute dissolved in a fixed amount of solvent.

dimer

A molecule or compound formed by the combination of two identical simple molecules.

dipole

Produced from an unequal sharing of electrons in a molecule in which there will be a region of partial positive charge and a separate region of partial negative charge.

dissociation

In an aqueous solution, the separation of a compound into ions.

distillation

The process used to separate two or more liquids that have different boiling points.

dopamine

One of many neurotransmitters that is essential in the functioning of the central nervous system and is often considered to be the primary reward neurotransmitter in the brain. It is the precursor to norepinephrine.

doping

Using banned or illegal natural or synthetic chemicals to enhance athletic performance.

dose

The measured quantity of a substance, such as a drug, taken at one time.

drawdown

The the act, process, or result of depleting, as in the drawdown of oil reserves.

ductile

The ability of a substance to be drawn out to form a thin wire.

dye

A substance used to give color to cloth, plastics, paper, or other materials.Dye may be made from plants or by synthetic chemical reactions.

dynamic equilibrium

The condition in which the rate of a forward process is exactly the same as the rate of a reverse process.

Glossary created by David Shaw (Madison Area Technical College) for The Chemistry Place.

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