| Term | Definition |
|---|
| absolute zero | the lowest temperature possible - 0 K (-273.15 C) |
| accuracy | how close a measurement is to its true, or actual value |
| balance | instrument used to measure mass (an analytical balance is a special type of balance used to measure to the 0.0001 of a gram) |
| Celsius scale | temperature scale based upon the boiling point (100 C) and freezing point (0 C) of water |
| chemistry | the study of matter and the changes it undergoes |
| density | the ratio obtained by dividing an object's mass by its volume |
| exact numbers | a number with no uncertain digits as there is no approximation involved |
| factor lavel method (dimensional analysis) | an approach to problem solving where the given quantity and units are multiplied by one or more conversion factors to obtain an answer with the desired units |
| Fahrenheit scale | a temperature scale that defines the freezing point of water as 32 degrees F and the boiling point of water a 212 degrees F |
| International System (SI) | another name for the metric system |
| Kelvin scale | a temperature scale that defines absolute zero as 0 degrees |
| Conversion from Celsius to Kelvin | K = C + 273 |
| mass | the measure of the quantity of matter |
| matter | anything that has mass and takes up space |
| meniscus | the crescent shaped liquid surface of a liquid caused by the attraction of the liquid for its container. The bottom of this is used to measure the amount of water. |
| metric system | a decimal system of weights and measures based on the liter, meter, and the kilogram |
| precision | the degree to which the repeated measurements of a quantity are in agreement; getting the same measurement of an object every time implies that you have good (the answer) |
| scale | an instrument used to measure weight |
| significant figure (significant digit) | all certain digits in a measurement plus the last, or estimated digit |
| temperature | the measure of the hotness or coldness of matter |
| uncertainty | the term used to describe the fact that no measurement is 100% exact |
| volume | the amount of space in a specific amount of matter |
| weight | the force of gravity acting upon a mass |
| Formula for determining Density | D = M/V |
| leading zeros | never count in sig figs |
| captive zeros | always count in sig figs |
| trailing zeros | count in sig figs only if the number contains a decimal point |
| Multiplication & Division | The number of sig figs in the result is the same as that in the measurement with the smallest number of sig figs |
| Addition & Subtraction | The number of sig figs in the result is the same as that in the measurement with the smallest number of decimal places. |
| Chemical Change | a change in which a new substance is formed |
| Chemical Property | the ability of a substance to undergo chemical reactions and to form new substances |
| Colloid | mixtures that contain large particles that are dispersed together. These particles do NOT settle out upon standing |
| Compund | a combination of two or more elements |
| Element | the most fundamental substance from which all material things are constructed |
| Emulsion | a type of colloid that has a liquid dispersed (not dissolved) in a liquid or solid. These substances will settle out upon standing. |
| Extensive property | a property of matter that depends upon the amount of matter present |
| Heterogenous Mixture | a mixture that doesn't have uniform properties throughout. A mixture that has two different phases present. Examples: italian salad dressing, orange juice, soda. |
| Homogenous Mixture | a mixture that is the same throughout or has a uniform composition and appearance throughout. (A.K.A a solution) Examples: salt water, mouthwash, Kool-Aid. |
| Intensive Property | property of matter that doesnt depend on the amount of matter present |
| Physical Change | a change in matter in which no new substances are formed; usually just changes in state, shape, size or color |
| Physical Property | a quality of a substance that can be observed or measured without changing the substance's chemical composition |
| Pure Substance | a single chemical composed of the same kind of matter, with the same kind of particles throughout |
| Solution | another name for a homogenous mixture |
| Suspension | a mixture with two of more substances that have different properties and are temporarily dispersed together. With time the substances will separate. Example: dirt in water |
| Tyndall Effect | the phenomenon in which light is scattered by very small particles in its path |
| The order of particle size from smallest to largest in colloids | suspension, emulsion, colloid |
| Brownian Motion | the random motion of small particles suspended in a gas or liquid |
| Atom | the basic building block of matter |
| Ion | an atom or group of atoms that has a net positive or negative charge |
| Cation | a positive ion. Formed from elements that lose electrons. Generally formed from metals. |
| Anion | a negative ion. Formed from elements that gain electrons. Generally formed from nonmetals. |
| Monatomic | consisting of one atom |
| Polyatomic | consisting of two or more atoms |
| Oxidation number | the charge associated with an ion |
| Ionic Compound | a combination of more than one atom created by the attraction of opposite charges of a metal and a non-metal |
| Covalent Compund | a combination of one non-metal with another non-metal |
| Binary Compund | a compund consisting of two atoms |
| Diatomic | elements that always exist in pairs in nature |
| Subscript | a character or symbol set or printed or written beneath or slightly below and to the side of another character |
| Superscript | a character or symbol set or printed or written above and immediately to one side of another character |
| Combustion Reaction | The vigorous chemical reaction of oxygen with a ful that usually contains carbon and hydrgoen. This is exothermic, it is accompanied by the liberation of heat and/or light. |
| Synthesis Reaction (A.K.A Combination Reaction) | The reaction of elements to produce a compund, symbolized A + B -> AB, or the planned preparation of a specific compund. |
| Decomposition Reaction | A chemical reaction in which a compund is broken down into two or more simpler substances. |
| Single Replacemet Reaction (A.K.A. Single Deplacemet Reaction) | An oxidation-reduction reaction in which one metal (or nonmetal) replaces the ion of another metal (or nonmetal). |
| Double Replacemet Reaction (A.K.A. Double Deplacemet Reaction or metathesis reaction) | A chemical reaction between two salts, symbolized by AB and CD, that switch cation partners to form to different compunds, symbolized as AD and CB. |
| Metals | malleable, good conductors of heat/electricity, ductile, and can be polished into a shiny luster |
| Nonmetals | not malleable, bad conductors of heat/electricity, not ductile, dull surface, and cannot be polished into a shiny luster |
| Metalloids | have some characteristics of metals, and some of nonmetals. semi-conductors of heat/electricity. |
| atomic mass | the mass of one atom that is expressed in atomic mass units (amu) |
| mole | a unit of measurement that is equal to 6.02 x 10^23 |
| atomic weight | the average mass of an atom of an element |
| molecular weight | the sum of the atomic weights of all elements in a molecule (covalent) |
| formula weight | the sum of the atomic weights of a formula unit (ionic) |
| formula unit | the atoms that are found in an ionic compound |
| molar mass | the sum of the atomic weights of a mole of all elements in a molecule or compound |
| Avogadro's Number | the number of particles that are in a mole |
| empirical formula | a simple expression of the relative number of each type of atom in a molecule |
| percentage composition | the percent of a certain type of element found within a molecule or compound |
| molecular formula | the actual formula for a compund or molecule |
| limiting reactant (A.K.A. limiting reagent) | the reactant on a chemical equation that is used up first |
| Organic | relating or belonging to the class of chemical compounds having a carbon basis |
| Inorganic | relating or belonging to the class of compounds not having a carbon basis |
| actual yield | the quantity of product (usually in grams) that is actually obtained in an experiment from a particular reaction |
| aqueous solution | a solution obtained by dissolving a solute in water, the solvent |
| 760 mmHg, 760 torr, 14.7 psi, 101.325 kPa | 1 atm |
| atmospheric pressure | The force per unit area exerted on objects on the Earth as a result of the attraction of the Earth for the blanket of air that surrounds our planet |
| Avogadro's hypothesis | Equal volumes of gases at the same temperature and pressure contain equal numbers of molecules; gas volume is proportional to the number of moles of gas at a constant pressure and temperature |
| Avogadro's law | The mathematical relationship that states that the volume of gas at constant temperature and pressure is proportional to the number of moles (N) of the gas, that is, V = kn. |
| boiling point | The temperature at which vapor pressure of a liquid is equal to the total pressure exerted on the liquid. |
| Boyle's law | The Volume, V, occupied by a sample of gas is inversely proportional to Pressure, P, at a constant temperature. P1V1 = P2V2 |
| calorie | a metric unit of heat energy. One calorie will raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 C. |
| The conversion between calories and joules | 1 calorie = 4.184 joules |
| catalyst | a substance that sppeds up a chemical reaction without itself undergoing a chemical change. |
| combined gas law | the mathematical relationship involving pressures, volumes, and Kelvin temperatures for gases at two different set of conditions. P1V1/T1 = P2V2/T2 |
| concentrated solution | a solution containing a relatively large quantity of the solute |
| theoretical yield | The maximum quantity of a substance that can be produced by the complete reaction of all the limiting reagent in accordance with the chemical equation |
| Dalton's law of Partial Pressures | The total pressure exerted by a mixture of gases is equal to the sum of the partial pressures exerted by the seperate gases |
| dilute solution | a solution containing a relatively small quantity of the solution |
| exothermic reaction | a chemical reaction that releases heat energy |
| endothermic reaction | a chemical reaction that proceeds only when it takes up or absorbs heat energy |
| Gay-Lussac's law | for a sample of gas with a constant volume, its pressure, P, is directly proportional to its Kelvin temperature, T. P1/T1 = P2/T2 |
| Charles's law | for a sample of gas with a constant pressure, its Volume, V, is directly proportional to its Kelvin temperature, T. V1/T1 = V2/T2 |
| isotopes | Atoms of a particular kind of element that have different numbers of neutrons, and, therefore, different atomic masses. |
| The Formula for Specific Heat | q=mcdt |
| joule | The SI base unit of heat energy |
| Law of conservation of energy | Energy is neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction |
| Law of conservation of mass | Matter is neither created nor destroyed during a chemical reaction |
| solubility | A measure of how much solute will dissolve in a given quantity of solvent |
| solute | The substance being dissolved (the substance present in a solution in the smaller amount) |
| solvent | The component of a solution whose physical state is retained (also the substance present in the greater amount) |
| saturated solution | A solution that contains as much dissolved solute as it can hold at a given temperature while in equilibrium |
| unsaturated solution | A solution that contains a smaller amount of solute than it can hold at a given temperature |
| supersaturated solution | A solution that contains more disolved solution at a given temperature than could be present in a saturated solution in equilibrium with excess solute. |
| percent yield | The mass of the actual yield divided by the mass of the theoretical yield multiplied by 100%. |
| percent error | The absolute value of the percent yield subtracted from 100%. |
| precipitate | A solid that forms and seperates out of a solution as a result of a chemical reaction |
| Ideal Gas Law | The equation, PV = nRT, used to determine any one of the variables, P, V, and T for a given sample of gas; R is the universal gas constant. |
| Standard Temperature and Pressure | STP, 1 atm & 0 C = 273 K. The standard condition for any scientific experiment. |
| Universal Gas Constant (R) | .0821 L atm/ Mol K |
| The volume of one mole of any substance at STP | 22.4 L |
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