Vocabulary for IELTS Academic (Band 8-9) - Chemistry

Here, you will learn some English words related to Chemistry that are necessary for the Academic IELTS exam.

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Vocabulary for IELTS Academic (Band 8-9)

solute [noun]

a substance that is dissolved in a solvent, resulting in a solution

Ex: Carbon dioxide ( CO2 ) dissolving in soda is an example of a gas solute in a liquid solvent .

reactant [noun]

a substance that takes part in and undergoes a chemical reaction, leading to the formation of new products

Ex: The reactants in the process of burning wood are wood and oxygen .

catalyst [noun]

(chemistry) a substance that causes a chemical reaction to happen at a faster rate without undergoing any chemical change itself

Ex: In the Haber process , iron is used as a catalyst to promote the synthesis of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen gases .

catalysis [noun]

the acceleration or facilitation of a chemical reaction by a substance (catalyst) that remains unchanged at the end of the reaction

Ex: The catalysis of platinum in the catalytic converter converts harmful gases from vehicle exhaust into less harmful substances .

covalent bond [noun]

a chemical bond where atoms share electrons to form a stable molecule

Ex: Water forms because of a covalent bond between hydrogen and oxygen .

isomer [noun]

any of two or more compounds having the same molecular formula but different arrangements of atoms and, consequently, different properties

Ex: Glucose and fructose are constitutional isomers , possessing the same molecular formula ( C₆H₁₂O₆ ) but differing in their structural arrangements .

polymer [noun]

a large molecule composed of repeating structural units, or monomers, covalently bonded together in a chain-like structure

Ex: Proteins , such as collagen and hemoglobin , are biological polymers with crucial roles in the structure and function of living organisms .

monomer [noun]

a molecule that can chemically bond with other molecules to form a polymer

Ex: Glucose is a monomer that can polymerize to form complex carbohydrates like starch and cellulose .

hydrocarbon [noun]

a compound composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms, with the simplest form being alkanes, alkenes, or alkynes

Ex: Acetylene ( C₂H₂ ) is a hydrocarbon with a triple bond , falling into the alkyne category .

ester [noun]

a chemical compound derived from the reaction between an alcohol and an organic acid, typically with the elimination of water

Ex: Benzyl acetate is an ester found in many essential oils and is known for its pleasant floral scent .

aldehyde [noun]

an organic compound with a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to a hydrogen atom and another carbon atom, commonly found in essential oils and used in various chemical processes

Ex: The distinctive smell of freshly cut grass is partly due to the release of an aldehyde compound .

alcohol [noun]

a compound with a hydroxyl group (-OH) attached to a carbon atom, widely used as solvents, fuels, and in pharmaceutical and chemical synthesis

Ex: Ethylene glycol is an alcohol commonly used in antifreeze and as a coolant .

ketone [noun]

an organic compound with a carbonyl group (C=O) bonded to two carbon atoms, commonly found in solvents, pharmaceuticals, and flavorings

Ex:

oxidation-reduction [noun]

a chemical reaction where electrons are transferred between substances

Ex: The rusting of iron is an oxidation-reduction reaction where iron undergoes oxidation to form iron oxide ( rust ) .

molarity [noun]

the concentration of a solute in a solution, measured in moles per liter (mol/L or M)

Ex: If a solution has a molarity of 4 M , it means there are 4 moles of the solute in each liter of the solution .

electrolyte [noun]

a substance that, when dissolved in a solution, produces ions and enables the conduction of electric current

Ex:

enthalpy [noun]

a thermodynamic quantity representing the total heat content of a system, commonly denoted as H

Ex: Hess 's law states that the total enthalpy change for a reaction is the same , regardless of the multiple steps taken to reach the final products .

entropy [noun]

a thermodynamic measure of the degree of disorder or randomness in a system, denoted by S

Ex: The entropy of a gas typically increases with an increase in temperature , reflecting increased molecular motion .

colloid [noun]

a mixture where small particles of one substance are evenly dispersed in another substance, typically intermediate in size between solution and suspension particles

Ex: Aerosol sprays , like deodorants , are colloids with tiny liquid droplets in a gas .

corrosion [noun]

the gradual destruction of materials by chemical reaction, usually of metals

Ex: Corrosion occurs when metal reacts with oxygen in the air .

alkali [noun]

any water-soluble compound that can turn litmus blue and reacts with an acid to form a salt and water

Ex: The chemist carefully measured the alkali to avoid a violent reaction .

Vocabulary for IELTS Academic (Band 8-9)
Size and Scale	Dimensions and Areas	Weight and Steadiness	Shapes
Increase in Amount	Decrease in Amount	Intensity	Speed
Significance	Uniqueness	Value	Complexity
Challenges	Quality	Success	Failure
Body Shape	Age and Appearance	Wellness	Intelligence
Human Traits	Positive Emotional Responses	Negative Emotional Responses	Positive Emotional States
Negative Emotional States	Social Behaviours	Tastes and Smells	Textures
Sounds	Temperature	Opinions	Thoughts and Decisions
Encouragement and Discouragement	Respect and Approval	Request and Suggestion	Attempt and Prevention
Movements	Body Language and Gestures	Commanding and Giving Permissions	Engaging in Verbal Communication
Eating and Drinking	Preparing Food	Science	Changing and Forming
Education	Astronomy	Physics	Biology
Chemistry	Geology	Philosophy	Psychology
Maths and Graphs	Geometry	Environment	Energy and Power
Landscape and Geography	Engineering	Technology	Internet
Computer	History	Religion	Culture and Custom
Language	Arts	Music	Film and Theatre
Literature	Architecture	Marketing	Finance
Management	Medicine	Sickness and Symptoms	Law
Crime	Punishment	Government	Politics
War	Measurement	Emotions	Travel and Migration
Weather	Pollution	Disasters	Animals
Food and Drinks	Adverbs of Manner