Fluids, Matter, and Mixtures Study Guide

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental chemistry topics including states of matter, fluids, solutions, solubility, and types of mixtures.

Fluid

Any substance that has the ability to flow and take the shape of its container, encompassing both liquids and gases.

Fixed Shape

A rigid, definite physical form characteristic of solids, meaning the substance maintains its shape regardless of the container it occupies.

Slurry

A semi-liquid mixture consisting of insoluble solid particles suspended in a liquid, such as water.

Three Types of Matter

The three classical fundamental states in which matter exists: solid, liquid, and gas.

Solubility

A property describing the maximum mass of a solute that can dissolve in a specified quantity of solvent at a given temperature.

Elements vs. Compounds

Elements consist of only one type of atom and cannot be broken down by chemical means, whereas compounds are made of two or more different elements chemically bonded in fixed proportions.

Pure Substance

Matter composed of only a single type of particle with a constant chemical composition and identical properties throughout.

Solubility Graph

A line graph displaying the relationship between temperature and the solubility of solutes, plotting solute mass (typically grams per $100\,\text{g}$ of solvent) against temperature.

Solute

The substance that is dissolved by another substance to form a solution, usually present in the smaller amount.

Most Common Solvent

Water ($\text{H}_2\text{O}$), widely known as the universal solvent due to its unique ability to dissolve more chemical substances than any other liquid.

Heterogeneous vs. Homogeneous Mixtures

Heterogeneous mixtures have non-uniform compositions with distinct, visible components, whereas homogeneous mixtures have uniform compositions and appear as a single phase throughout.

Chromatogram

The visual record or pattern of separated bands and spots obtained on a medium (such as paper) from performing chromatography.

Chromatography

A physical separation technique used to separate components of a mixture based on their differing speeds of travel across a stationary phase via a moving solvent.

Solvent

The substance that dissolves a solute to form a solution, typically present in the greatest amount.

Saturated Solution

A solution that contains the maximum possible amount of dissolved solute at a specific temperature; any extra solute added will not dissolve.

Unsaturated Solution

A solution that contains less than the maximum amount of dissolved solute capable of dissolving at a given temperature, meaning additional solute can still dissolve.

Mechanical Mixtures, Solutions, Colloids, and Suspensions

Mechanical mixtures have large, visibly distinct parts; solutions are clear, homogeneous mixtures where particles never settle; suspensions are heterogeneous mixtures with large particles that settle over time; and colloids contain medium-sized particles that stay evenly dispersed without settling.