Glossary of Chemical Terms - O
O
- octet
- A stable group of eight electrons in the outer shell of an atom.
- ohm
- The unit of electrical resistance.A current of 1 amp at a potential difference of 1 volt experiences 1 ohm of resistance.
- oligomer
- A molecule that consists of repeating molecular subunits--essentially a polymer but not as long. By analogy, if a yellow brick is a single subunit, the yellow brick road is a polymer, and the yellow brick driveway is an oligomer.
- orbital
- A region of space where there is a high probability of finding an electron in an atom or ion.
- osmosis
- The movement of solvent molecules through a membrane from region of lower solute concentration to a region of higher solute concentration.
- oxidation
- A process in which an electron is lost by an atom, molecule or ion.
- oxygenates
- Liquid organic compounds that can be blended into gasoline to increase its oxygen content; during combustion, this additional oxygen reduces the output of CO and may reduce emissions of ozone-forming materials. The two major oxygenates in use today are ethanol and MTBE.
- ozone
- The allotrope of oxygen that contains 3 atoms in one molecule, the formula for ozone being O3.
- ozone layer
- An atmosphere layer at about 20 to 30 miles high (32 to 48 km), normally characterized by high ozone content, which blocks most solar UV radiation from entering the lower atmosphere.
Glossary created by David Shaw (Madison Area Technical College) for The Chemistry Place.
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