Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Inorganic Chemistry

Top 10 Commonly Confused Words in Inorganic Chemistry 1. Cation vs. Anion The first pair of words that often cause confusion are 'cation' and 'anion.' Simply put, a cation is a positively charged ion, while an anion is negatively charged. A useful trick to remember is that 'cat' sounds like 'positive,' and 'an' sounds like 'negative.' 2. Oxidation vs. Reduction Next up, we have 'oxidation' and 'reduction.' These terms are crucial in understanding redox reactions. Oxidation refers to the loss of electrons, while reduction involves gaining electrons. A handy mnemonic is 'LEO says GER' – Loss of Electrons is Oxidation, Gain of Electrons is Reduction. 3. Soluble vs. Insoluble Moving on, let's talk about 'soluble' and 'insoluble.' When a substance is soluble, it means it can dissolve in a particular solvent. Conversely, an insoluble substance does not dissolve. Remember, 'soluble' is like 'solve,' indicating that it can be dissolved. 4. Precipitate vs. Supernatant In a chemical reaction, you may come across the terms 'precipitate' and 'supernatant.' A precipitate is the solid that forms when two solutions react, while the supernatant is the liquid remaining above it. Think of 'precipitate' as something that 'falls' to the bottom. 5. Homogeneous vs. Heterogeneous