Chemistry - All Vocab

Part 1 - Atomic Theory. Part 2 - Ions and Isotopes. Part 3 - Periodic Trends. Part 4 - Bonding and Balancing. Part 5 - Calculations. Part 6 - Lewis Structures and Intermolecular Forces. Part 7 - Organic Chemistry.

Matter

Anything that has mass or occupies space

Solid

A phase of matter which has a definite shape and a definite volume

Liquid

A phase of matter which has a shape that is dependent on its container and a definite volume independent of its container

Gas

A phase of matter which has no definite volume or definite shape

Temperature and pressure

Two processes that change phases of matter

Condensation

Gas to liquid

Freezing

Liquid to Solid

Deposition

Gas to Solid

Melting

Solid to Liquid

Evaporation

Liquid to Gas

Sublimation

Solid to Gas

Non-Newtonian Fluid

A phase of matter that can act as either a solid or liquid depending on the force/pressure applied to them

Atom

Building block of matter

Element

A substance that is composed of only one type of atom

Monatomic element

When the element is made up of only one atom

Diatomic element

When the element is made up of two of the same atom

Compound

A substance that is composed of two or more different atoms

Pure Substance

Something that is only composed of a single type of element or compound

Mixture

Something that has different elements or compounds that are mixed together

Heterogeneous Mixtures

Mixtures whose composition is not uniform

Homogeneous Mixtures

Mixtures that have a uniform composition throughout

Physical Change

A change in the physical properties of the matter without changing the substances in it

Chemical Change

A change in the chemical properties of one or more substances. A new substance with new properties is created

Evaporation

A separation technique used to separate a solid dissolved in a liquid

Distillation

A separation technique used to separate a mixture of liquids

Filtration

A separation technique used to separate an undissolved solid in a liquid

Protons

Positively charged molecules, weigh 1 amu

Neutrons

Neutrally charged molecules, weigh 1 amu

Electrons

Negatively charged molecules, have negligible weight

Subatomic Particles

Create the structure that hold atoms together

Molecular Weight

Depends on how many Neutrons and Protons there are

Isotopes

Versions of the same element that are heavier and have a difference in atomic weight

Ions

Elements with differences in charge

Cation

An ion loses electrons and becomes positively charged

Anion

An ion gains electrons and becomes negatively charged

Valence Electrons

Electrons in the outermost shell are most likely to be gained or lost

Octet Rule

Valence electrons want to be in pairs of 8

Symbol

A combination of letters to tell us what element we are talking about

Subscripts

The numbers at the bottom right of the symbols that tell us how much of what element makes up a compound

Coefficients

How many compounds or elements there are

Polyatomic ion

Some elements combine to make compounds that are ions and are and are not neutral

Periods

The rows across the periodic table

Groups

The columns up and down the periodic table

Alkali Metals

Highly reactive metals, only have 1 valence electron

Alkaline Earth Metals

2nd most reactive metals, 2 valence electrons

Halogens

Most reactive gases, 7 valence electrons

Noble Gases

Do not react much, perfect octet of valence electrons

Metalloids

Can act as both nonmetals or metals, can form both anions and cations

Transition Metals

Can form multiple different cations, around groups 3-12 in the middle of the periodic table

Atomic Radius

The radius of an atom, or width from center to edge

Ionic Radius

The radius of an ion, or width from center to edge

Ionization Energy

The energy required to remove an electron

Electronegativity

The tendency for an atom to hold onto electrons more strongly than other atoms

Effective Nuclear Charge

The amount of positive pull from the protons in the nucleus of an atom

Chemical Equation

Mathematical way to show when things are built up or broken down in chemistry

Reactants

Things that go into the equation. They start the chemical reaction

Products

Things that go at the end of the equation

Synthesis Reaction

A reaction in which two simple elements or smaller substances combine to build a compound

Decomposition Reaction

A reaction in which a singular compound is broken into its basic elements or smaller substances

Single Replacement Reaction

A reaction where a compound and an element swap spots with similar ions

Double Replacement Reaction

A reaction where two compounds combine together and swap ions from each compound.

Qualitative

Measurements that are subjective and based upon qualities of what you see, hear, smell, taste, or feel

Qualitative

Measurements that are subjective and based upon qualities of what you see, hear, smell, taste, or feel

Quantitative

Measurements that are objective and numeric

Metric System

A measurement system that is the most used in science and is based on multiples of ten

Scientific Notation

A method to write out really large or really small numbers using factors of ten

Significant figures

How we display our answers in chemistry based upon the accuracy of measurement

Rule for significant figures with adding and subtracting

Answer is represented in least amount of decimals

Rule for significant figures with multiplying and dividing

Answer is represented in least amount of significant figures

Mole

Unit of measurement that describes a certain number of atoms or molecules

Avogadro’s Number

How many molecules are in a mole - 6.022 × 10²³

Stoichiometry

Process of determining the proportions of products in a chemical reactions AKA measuring out how much we use and how much we produce

Limiting Reactant

The reactant that runs out first in a chemical reaction

Excess Reactant

The reactant that has excess left over after the chemical reaction

Dimensional Analysis

A tool to help you convert units in stoichiometry calculations

Relative Abundance

How frequently something occurs or what percentage of something there is

Mole Ratios

Ratios in which reactants are used up and products are produced

Percent composition by mass calculation

% composition= (mass of element/total mass of compound) x 100

Molecular Formula

Specific formula of a compound as it exists in nature

Empirical formula

The simplest whole number ratio for a chemical formula

Incomplete combustion

When a reaction runs out of oxygen, and so the reaction uses less oxygen resulting in creation of different products

Chemical Bond

A force that holds atoms together in a molecule

Ionic Bonds

Bonds that hold ions together. Bonds between ions, metals, and nonmetals

Covalent

Bonds that hold neutrally charged atoms together. Bonds between neutrally charged nonmetals

Polar Bonds

Occurs when the atoms do not share electrons evenly. One molecule pulls harder than the other

Non-Polar Bonds

Occurs when atoms share electrons evenly. Equal pull from both atoms

Lewis Dot Diagrams

A way to draw valence electrons and show how things will bond to each other

Intermolecular Forces

Attractive forces between molecules

Dipole-Dipole

Polar molecules - attraction from polarity

Hydrogen Bonding

Makes a very strong dipole from the positive hydrogen

London Dispersion Forces

Natural attraction of partial positive and partial negatives of protons and electrons

Organic Chemistry

Study of carbon compounds

Hydrocarbons

Must common carbon compounds

Alkanes

Saturated hydrocarbons

Alkenes

Unsaturated hydrocarbons with double bonds

Alkynes

Unsaturated hydrocarbons with triple bonds

Prefixes

The words put at the beginning of organic molecules to say how many carbons are in the compound

Functional Groups

Groups of atoms that have similar properties and attach to hydrocarbons in specific ways

Halides

Contain the halogen family of the periodic table bonded anywhere on a hydrocarbon chain

Alcohols

Contain the OH bonding to the end of a carbon chain