| amphiprotic solvent | A solvent capable of acting as an acid or a base; e.g., H2O. See: solvolysis. (05 Mar 2000) |
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| solvent | 1. <chemistry> Dissolving, effecting a solution. 2. A liquid that dissolves or that is capable of dissolving, the component of a solution that is present in greater amount. Origin: L. Solvens (18 Nov 1997) |
| solvent drag | The influence exerted by a flow of solvent through a membrane on the simultaneous movement of a solute through the membrane. (05 Mar 2000) |
| solvent ether | A fairly pure form of ether (C4H10O) but not sufficiently pure for anaesthesia; used as a solvent. (05 Mar 2000) |
| solvent extraction | A method of separation used to purify vegetable oils. (05 Dec 1998) |
| solvent inhalation | Inhalation of volatile organic solvents used in glue, nail polish remover, lacquer thinners, cleaning fluid, lighter fluid, and gasoline, for the purpose of self-intoxication. See: glue-sniffing. (05 Mar 2000) |
| universal solvent | A substance sought by the alchemists, and claimed by some to have been found, supposedly capable of dissolving all substances; sometimes, in a physiological sense, applied to water. (05 Mar 2000) |
| volatile | 1. Passing through the air on wings, or by the buoyant force of the atmosphere; flying; having the power to fly. 2. Capable of wasting away, or of easily passing into the aeriform state; subject to evaporation. Substances which affect the smell with pungent or fragrant odors, as musk, hartshorn, and essential oils, are called volatile substances, because they waste away on exposure to the atmosphere. Alcohol and ether are called volatile liquids for a similar reason, and because they easily pass into the state of vapor on the application of heat. On the contrary, gold is a fixed substance, because it does not suffer waste, even when exposed to the heat of a furnace; and oils are called fixed when they do not evaporate on simple exposure to the atmosphere. 3. Light-hearted; easily affected by circumstances; airy; lively; hence, changeable; fickle; as, a volatile temper. "You are as giddy and volatile as ever." (Swift) Volatile alkali. <chemistry> See Essential oils, under Essential. Origin: F. Volatil, L. Volatilis, fr. Volare to fly, perhaps akin to velox swift, E. Velocity. Cf. Volley. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
| volatile anaesthetic | A liquid anaesthetic that at room temperature volatilises to a vapor which when inhaled is capable of producing general anaesthesia. See: anaesthetic vapor. (05 Mar 2000) |
| volatile fatty acid number | An index of the volatile acid content of a fat; the number of milliliters of 0.1 n KOH required to neutralise the soluble volatile fatty acids in 5 g of fat that has been saponified, acidified to liberate the fatty acids, and then steam-distilled. Synonym: volatile fatty acid number. (05 Mar 2000) |
| volatile mustard oil | CH2==CH-CH2-NCS; volatile mustard CH-allylisosulfocyanate; isothiocyanic allyl ester;obtained from Brassica nigra or produced synthetically; a vesicant, used in 10% solution in 50% alcohol as a counterirritant in neuralgia. Gives mustard its characteristics flavor and aroma. See: mustard oil. Synonym: volatile mustard oil. (05 Mar 2000) |
| volatile oil | A substance of oily consistency and feel, derived from a plant and containing the principles to which the odour and taste of the plant are due (essential oil); in contrast to a fatty oil, a volatile oil evaporates when exposed to the air and thus is capable of distillation; it may also be obtained by expression or extraction; many volatile oil's, identical to or closely resembling the natural oil's, can be made synthetically. Volatile oil's are used in medicine as stimulants, stomachics, correctives, carminatives, and for purposes of flavoring (e.g., peppermint oil). Synonym: ethereal oil. (05 Mar 2000) |
| volatile organic compounds | (VOC) Emissions of non-methane hydrocarbons, measured by standard DEQ methods. (05 Dec 1998) |
| sal volatile | A hydroalcoholic solution containing approximately 2% ammonia and 4% ammonium carbonate and the aromatics: lemon oil, lavender oil, and myristica oil. Used mainly by inhalation to produce reflex stimulation in persons who have fainted or are at risk of syncope. Synonym: sal volatile, smelling salts. (05 Mar 2000) |
| oils, volatile | Oils which evaporate readily. The volatile oils occur in aromatic plants, to which they give odour and other characteristics. most volatile oils consist of a mixture of two or more terpenes or of a mixture of an eleopten (the more volatile constituent of a volatile oil) with a stearopten (the more solid constituent). The synonym essential oils refers to the essence of a plant, as its perfume or scent, and not to its indispensibility. (12 Dec 1998) |