Online Chemistry Notes for Students
Anupama Sapkota 
Saturated Hydrocarbons Definition Saturated hydrocarbons are the simplest forms of hydrocarbons consisting entirely of single bonds that remain saturated with hydrogen atoms. The general formula for acyclic saturated hydrocarbons or alkanes is CnH2n+2. The more general formula can also be written as CnH2n+2(1-r), where r is the number of rings. … Read more
Reducing Sugar Definition Reducing sugar is a type of sugar that consists of a free aldehyde group or a free ketone group, allowing the molecule to act as a reducing agent. All monosaccharides are reducing sugars, and so are some disaccharides and oligosaccharides. Reducing monosaccharides can further be classified into … Read more
Rust Definition Rust is iron oxide, a reddish-brown oxide formed as a result of a reaction between iron and oxygen in the presence of water or moisture. The chemical composition of rust is composed of Fe2O3.nH2O and (FeO(OH).Fe(OH)3. Rust is often associated with corrosion of iron, even though both of … Read more
Polar Molecules Definition A polar molecule is a chemical substance in which the distribution of electrons between the atoms involved is uneven, resulting in a dipole moment. The term polarity is used to describe the difference in electrical poles of a molecule which then determines how polar the molecule is. … Read more
Physical Change Definition A physical change is a process that changes the physical form of a substance but not its chemical composition. During a physical change, the molecules of a substance are rearranged, but the chemical composition of the substance remains unchanged. A physical change usually involves a change in … Read more
Oxidation Definition Oxidation is a chemical process involving the loss of electrons by a molecule, atom, or ion, which increases the oxidation state of the chemical species. The historical definition of oxidation was based on the addition of oxygen to a compound as oxygen gas was the first known oxidizing … Read more
Organic Compounds Definition Organic compounds are chemical compounds composed of one or more carbon atoms bonded to other elements like hydrogen, oxygen, or nitrogen. Organic compounds consist of multiple carbon-hydrogen and carbon-carbon bonds that hold the structures together. Organic compounds are the result of the catenation property of carbon atoms … Read more
Definition of Lewis Acids and Bases Gilbert Newton Lewis (American, 1923) put forward a broader concept of acids and bases on the basis of electron transfer. This concept is called the Lewis concept. Lewis’s concept eliminates the necessity of the presence of hydrogen in acid, and it accepts not only … Read more
Differences between Acid and Base Image Source: Pinterest Basis Acid Base Arrhenius concept An acid is a substance that produces hydrogen ion (H+) as the only positive ion when mixed with water. A base is a substance that produces hydroxyl ion (OH–) as the only negative ion when mixed with … Read more
Nuclear Fission Definition Nuclear fission is a type of nuclear reaction or a radioactive decay process where the nucleus of a heavy atom divides into two or more roughly equal nuclei. Nuclear fission might occur spontaneously or might be induced by the excitation of the nucleus. Nuclear fission results in … Read more