Chemistry Syllabus: Periodic Table, Redox, Oxides, Environmental, and Organic Chemistry

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the IGCSE Chemistry syllabus topics including the Periodic Table, redox reactions, types of oxides, air quality and climate, organic nomenclature, fuels, hydrocarbons, and polymers.

Periodic Table

An arrangement of elements in periods and groups and in order of increasing proton number/atomic number.

Periodicity of Metallic Character

The systematic transition across a period from metallic character on the left to non-metallic character on the right.

Group I Alkali Metals

Relatively soft metals, including lithium, sodium, and potassium, that exhibit decreasing melting points, increasing densities, and increasing reactivity with water down the group.

Group VII Halogens

Diatomic non-metals, including chlorine, bromine, and iodine, that show increasing density and decreasing reactivity down the group.

Chlorine (at r.t.p.)

A pale yellow-green gas at room temperature and pressure.

Bromine (at r.t.p.)

A red-brown liquid at room temperature and pressure.

Iodine (at r.t.p.)

A grey-black solid at room temperature and pressure.

Transition Elements

Metals characterized by having high densities, high melting points, forming coloured compounds, and often acting as catalysts as elements and in compounds.

Group VIII Noble Gases

Unreactive, monatomic gases whose lack of reactivity is due to their stable electronic configuration.

Redox Reactions

Chemical reactions that involve simultaneous oxidation and reduction.

Oxidation

A chemical process defined as the gain of oxygen, the loss of electrons, or an increase in oxidation number.

Reduction

A chemical process defined as the loss of oxygen, the gain of electrons, or a decrease in oxidation number.

Acidic Oxides

Oxides formed by non-metals, including $SO_2$ and $CO_2$, which display non-metallic character.

Basic Oxides

Oxides formed by metals, including $CuO$ and $CaO$, which display metallic character.

Amphoteric Oxides

Oxides that react with acids and with bases to produce a salt and water, such as $Al_2O_3$ and $ZnO$.

Clean, Dry Air

A gaseous mixture composed of approximately $78\%$ nitrogen ($N_2$), $21\%$ oxygen ($O_2$), and the remainder as noble gases and carbon dioxide ($CO_2$).

Carbon Monoxide

A toxic air pollutant gas produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels.

Particulates

Small solid particles produced by the incomplete combustion of carbon-containing fuels that cause an increased risk of respiratory problems and cancer.

Flue Gas Desulfurisation

A method to reduce sulfur dioxide ($SO_2$) emissions and the resulting effects of acid rain by reacting emissions with calcium oxide ($CaO$).

Displayed Formula

A formula of a molecule drawn to show all the atoms and all the bonds present.

Saturated Compound

A compound with molecules in which all carbon–carbon bonds are single bonds.

Unsaturated Compound

A compound with molecules in which one or more carbon–carbon bonds are not single bonds.

Homologous Series

A family of similar compounds with similar chemical properties that share the same general formula and display a trend in physical properties.

Hydrocarbons

Organic compounds that contain hydrogen and carbon only.

Petroleum

A naturally occurring fossil fuel that is a complex mixture of hydrocarbons separated into useful fractions by fractional distillation.

Refinery Gas Fraction

A petroleum fraction used for gas in heating and cooking.

Gasoline / Petrol Fraction

A petroleum fraction used as fuel in cars.

Naphtha Fraction

A petroleum fraction used as a chemical feedstock.

Diesel Oil / Gas Oil Fraction

A petroleum fraction used as fuel in diesel engines.

Bitumen

A heavy petroleum fraction collected from the base of the fractionating column and used for making roads.

Alkanes

Saturated hydrocarbons containing single covalent bonds that are generally unreactive, except in terms of combustion.

Alkenes

Unsaturated hydrocarbons whose bonding includes a double carbon–carbon covalent bond.

Aqueous Bromine Test

A chemical test used to distinguish between saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, where unsaturated hydrocarbons react with and decolourise aqueous bromine.

Cracking

The industrial process used to manufacture alkenes and hydrogen by breaking down larger alkane molecules using high temperature and a catalyst.

Ethanol

An alcohol that undergoes complete combustion and is commonly used both as a solvent and as a fuel.

Polymers

Large molecules built up from many smaller repeating molecules called monomers.

Addition Polymerisation

A polymerisation process where unsaturated monomers, such as ethene forming poly(ethene), link together to form a polymer without producing any small molecule by-products.