AP Chemistry Fundamentals and Periodic Trends

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering lab glassware precision, chemical density, electron energy levels, periodic trends, PES graphs, orbital fill order, cation removal order, isotopes, and mass spectroscopy.

Burette

The piece of glassware that is the most precise compared to a graduated cylinder or a beaker.

Beaker

The piece of glassware that is the least precise compared to a burette or a graduated cylinder.

Glassware Precision Ranking

The order of glassware precision from most precise to least precise: burette, graduated cylinder, beaker.

Volumetric Pipette (or Volumetric Flask)

A piece of glassware that features only one line on it so it can only be used to measure one specific volume.

Density Equation

$D = \frac{m}{V}$ (Density = mass / volume).

Compound (% Composition)

A substance whose percent composition by mass does not change.

Higher Electron Energy Level Effects

When an electron is in a higher energy level, it is farther away from the nucleus, has less Coulombic attraction to the nucleus, is easier to remove, and has a lower 1st ionization energy.

Calcium Atom Size vs. Magnesium Atom Size

A calcium atom is larger than a magnesium atom because calcium has more occupied electron shells (energy levels) than magnesium, placing its valence electrons farther from the nucleus.

Effective Nuclear Charge ($Z_{eff}$) Trend

Moving across a row (left to right) on the periodic table, effective nuclear charge ($Z_{eff}$) increases.

Valence Electron Attraction Trend

Moving across a row (left to right) on the periodic table, valence electrons are more attracted to the nucleus.

Atomic Radius Trend

Moving across a row (left to right) on the periodic table, atomic radius decreases because effective nuclear charge ($Z_{eff}$) increases, drawing electrons in the same shell closer to the nucleus.

Ionization Energy Trend

Moving across a row (left to right) on the periodic table, ionization energy increases.

PES Graph Peak Height

In Photoelectron Spectroscopy (PES), the height of a peak represents the number of electrons in that specific subshell.

PES Graph Binding Energy

In Photoelectron Spectroscopy (PES), a larger binding energy indicates that electrons are closer to the nucleus.

Orbital Filling Order After $4s$

The $3d$ orbital comes immediately after the $4s$ orbital.

Cation Electron Removal Order

When forming a cation, electrons are removed from the highest energy level $n$ shell first; the removal sequence is $p$, $s$, $d$, $f$ (specifically $p$ electrons first, then $s$ electrons).

Isotopes

Atoms of an element that have the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons (giving them different mass numbers).

Mass Spectroscopy Graph

A graph that measures the atomic mass and relative abundance of an element's isotopes.