8 ANATOMY FOR NURSES [Chap. 1 



SOME GENERAL CHEMICAL ACTIONS 



Oxidation. — Oxidation is the process in which the element 

 oxj^gen combines chemically with another substance, heat being 

 evolved in the process. The heat evolved may not be perceptible 

 unless the oxidation takes place rapidly, as in the burning of gas, 

 wood, coal, etc. If the substance combines slowly with oxj^'gen, 

 heat may be imperceptible ; for example, iron allowed to lie in 

 moist air is covered with rust due to the union of the iron and 

 oxygen. Also in our bodies some of the carbon from the cells 

 unites with oxj'gen, and thus the temperature of the body is kept 

 up. It is for this reason that ox;>'gen must be taken into the 

 body, which is accomplished by the act of breathing. 



Neutralization. — Neutralization is the process that takes place 

 in the action of an acid with a base. Water and salt are the 

 products of the reaction. (See Salt.) 



Hydrolysis. — Hydrolysis can be defined as the chemical change 

 that takes place when a compound in its action with water splits 

 into two other compounds, fixing the elements of water in the 

 process. The action of water with some salts, also the formation 

 of glucose and fructose from cane sugar, may be given as examples, 

 as represented in the following reaction equations : — 



(Sodium carbonate) (Sodium hydroxide) (Carbonic acid) 



NasCOa +2H20^ 2 NaOH + H2CO3, 



(Cane sugar) (Fructose) (Glucose) 



C12H22O11 + H2O -> CeHiiOe + CeHioOe. 



Hydration. — Hydration is the process by which water enters 

 into direct combination with another compound to form a single 

 compound which is called a hydrate. As examples might be 

 given, sulphuric acid as a hydrate of sulphur trioxide, calcium 

 hydroxide as a hydrate of calcium oxide, and crystalline cop- 

 per sulphate as a hydrate of anhydrous copper sulphate. The 

 formation of these hydrates in the process of hydration is 

 represented in the following : — 



