Glossary of chemistry terms
This glossary offers a curated collection of key terms that define the language of chemistry. You’ll encounter fundamental concepts such as molecule, reaction, and acid, as well as advanced vocabulary like electronegativity, thermodynamics, and nucleophilic substitution. This glossary provides concise, accessible definitions across a wide range of chemistry topics.
You’ll encounter terms from various branches of chemistry:
- Organic Chemistry – Learn about carbon-based molecules and functional groups that form the backbone of life and materials.
- Inorganic Chemistry – Discover the properties of metals, minerals, and non-organic compounds.
- Analytical Chemistry – Explore how scientists identify substances and measure concentrations using tools like chromatography and spectrophotometry.
- Physical Chemistry – Understand the energy, heat, and physics behind chemical interactions.
- Biochemistry – Decode the chemical language of cells, proteins, and enzymes within living organisms.
Browse glossary alphabetically or use the search bar to find specific terms.
A
- Acetals
- Acetylation
- Acylation
- Addition Reaction
- AI chemistry
- Alcohols
- Aldol Reaction
- Aliphatic
- Alkene
- Aminals
- Amine salts
- Amines
- Analytical laboratory
- Analytical testing
- Anhydrides
- Antiaromaticity
- Argentometric titration
- Aromaticity
- Asymmetric synthesis
- Azides
B
C
- Carbamates
- Carbocation
- Carboxamides
- Carboxylation
- Carboxylic acid derivatives
- Carboxylic acid esters
- Carboxylic acids
- Catalysts
- Chain Reaction
- Chemical analysis
- Chemical plant
- Chemistry building
- Chemistry clipart
- Chemistry closet
- Chemistry flask
- Chemistry goggles
- Chemistry jobs
- Chemistry naming
- Chemistry reagents
- Chemistry science set
- Chemistry suffixes
- Chemistry unit conversions
- Chemistry units
- Chloroformates
- Condensation reaction
- Contract manufacturing
- Custom synthesis
D
- Dangerous goods labels
- Darzens Reaction
- Decarboxylation
- Dehydration
- Desymmetrization
- Distillation apparatus
E
F
- Field Effect
- Flow chemistry
- Fluorous Chemistry
- Formulations chemistry
- Formylation
- Free Radical
- Friedel–Crafts acylation
- Functional Group
G
H
- Halides
- Heteroaromatic compounds
- Heterocyclic compounds
- HPLC
- Hydration
- Hydrazides
- Hydrogenation
- Hydroxy compounds
- Hydroxylation
- Hyperconjugation
I
- Imidates
- Imidazole derivatives
- Imides
- Imines
- Induction (Inductive effect)
- Industrial chemistry
- Inhibitor
- Initiator
- Isocyanates
- Isocyanides
- Isothiocyanates
J
K
L
- Lab reagents
- Laboratory chemicals
- Laboratory type
- Lactones
- Lambert-Beer Law
- Ligand
- Line bond structure
- Linear polymer
M
- Markovnikov’s rule
- Mass Spectrometry
- Material testing lab
- Mechanism
- Microwave-Assisted Synthesis
- Molecular Weight (MW)
- Monomer
N
- Natural chemistry
- Nitrile gloves
- Nitriles
- Nitro Group
- Nitroso compounds
- Nomenclature
- Nucleation
- Nucleophile
- Nucleophile vs Electrophile
- Nucleophilicity
O
- Organic chemistry
- Organic compounds
- Organometallic compound
- Organophosphorus chemistry
- Ortho
- Oxidation
- Oxidative addition
- Oxidizing agent
P
- Palladium-Catalyzed Coupling
- Phenols
- Phosphorous model
- Phosphorylation
- Polarity
- Polymerization
- Polymers
- Process chemistry
- Protected group
- Pyridine derivatives
- Pyrrole derivatives
Q
R
- Racemic mixture
- Racemization
- Rearrangement reaction
- Reducing agent
- Reduction
- Reflux
- Resolution
- Resonance
- Ring stand chemistry
S
- Salts
- Saturated
- Science materials
- Siloxanes
- Skeletal structure
- Solubility
- Solvent
- Stereochemistry
- Stereoisomerism
- Sulfides
- Sulfonyl chlorides