Wikijunior:The Elements/Glossary

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• alchemy: a science that attempts to change one element into another.
• alloy: a substance that is a compound of two or more metals.
• amalgam: any metallic alloy which has mercury in it.
• atom: any one of the smallest particles of an element, that combine with similar particles of other elements to form compounds.
• chemistry: the science of the properties, composition, and transformation of substances.
• compound: a mixture of two or more elements or ingredients.
• condensation: changing a gas to a liquid.
• conductive: able to pass heat or electricity from one side to the other.
• corrosion: the act of eating away at gradually, as by rust or chemical action.
• covalent bond: a bond between atoms formed by sharing of electrons.
• ductile: capable of being drawn out into threads, as some metals.
• electron: a negatively charged particle that is a component of all atoms.
• element: a natural substance which cannot be broken down any further.
• emulsion: a liquid, as milk, in which minute particles remain in suspension.
• evaporation: the opposite of condensation, in which a liquid becomes a gas.
• fusibility: the ability to join separate parts together as one.
• gas: a fluid and elastic form of matter tending to expand indefinitely.
• halogens: A group of elements, all of which are very reactive.
• ion: An ion is an electrically charged particle. Some atoms can bond with each other ionically to form molecules. Certain atoms are allowed to have certain ionic charges so that they may bond with other atoms having opposite ionic charges.
• ionic bond: a bond between ions.
• liquid: a compressed mass of particles that flow freely.
• luster: how a material shines.
• malleable: capable of being hammered or shaped without breaking.
• matter: any particular substance.
• melting: to change from a solid to a liquid state, usually by heat.
• metal: one of the elements with the characteristics of luster, ductility, malleability, fusibility, and conductivity of heat and electricity.
• mixture: when two or more elements are put together but still retain their own properties.
• molecule: two or more atoms bonded together.
• neutron: an uncharged particle having nearly the mass of a proton.
• nucleus: the center of an atom.
• ore: a mineral in its natural state.
• oxidation: the operation of converting into an oxide, such as rust (iron-oxide).
• particle: a very tiny piece, bit.
• proton: a positively charged particle in the nucleus of an atom.
• radioactive: When an atom has to many protons it cannot hold themselves together anymore, when this happens protons emit radiation until they are balanced.
• solid: a hard object that is not a liquid or a gas.
• solution: a mixture of solids, liquids, or gases that joins together evenly.
• sublimation: to change from a solid directly to a gas.