Chapter 1 Vocabulary: Scientists' Tools: Everyone Is a Scientist

Vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, lab variables, observations, SI units, and measurement precision concepts from Chapter 1.

Chemistry

The study of matter and its interactions and changes.

Matter

Anything that takes up space and has mass.

Independent Variable

The variable in an experiment that is manipulated by the scientist.

Dependent Variable

The variable in an experiment that is measured or observed to determine if the independent variable had an effect.

Constants

All aspects of an experiment that are not the variables being tested and must be controlled to draw valid conclusions.

Control Setup

A baseline experimental setup (such as running a reaction at room temperature) used for comparison against experimental setups.

Prediction

A simple statement expressing what you believe will happen in an investigation.

Hypothesis

An attempt to explain why behavior happens and how phenomena relate to one another.

Precision

A description of measurements or results that are consistent and repeatable within acceptable experimental error, or an indication of how carefully a measurement was taken.

Accuracy

A measure of how correct data are, meaning how closely results match theoretical values or accepted results from other investigations.

Theory

An explanation of how or why behavior happens that can be revised over time as new evidence is presented, but can never be completely proven as 100% true.

Law

A description of what happens without attempting to explain why, usually expressed as a mathematical equation that can be measured and proven.

Qualitative Observations

Records that do not include numbers and measurements, focusing on details such as color, texture, heat flow, or formation of solids, liquids, or gases.

Clear

A description of a material indicating that you can see through it.

Colorless

A description of a material indicating that it has no color.

Opaque

A description of a material that is solid and not see-through.

Cloudy

A description of a material where some parts are see-through, but solid or liquid particles are floating around inside to make a cloud.

Mass

The amount of matter in a sample, measured in kilograms ($\text{kg}$) using a balance.

Volume

The amount of space an object takes up, measured in milliliters ($\text{mL}$) using a graduated cylinder.

Temperature

A quantity related to the speed with which molecules move, measured in Celsius ($^\circ\text{C}$) or Kelvin ($\text{K}$) using a thermometer.

Meniscus

The curve that a liquid forms in a cylinder because its molecules are attracted to the glass.

Dimensional Analysis

A method of converting units based on multiplying measurements by equivalencies equal to 1 so unwanted units cancel out.

Significant Digits

A set of rules for working with numbers that communicates precision by writing down all digits known for certain plus one estimated decimal place.

Scientific Notation

A shorthand method of writing numbers using powers of 10 to represent very large or small numbers while expressing the correct number of significant digits.