States of Matter
The three states are solid, liquid, and gas, each with distinct properties.
Solid
A state of matter that has a fixed volume and shape.
Liquid
A state of matter that has a fixed volume; shape will adapt to the container.
Gas
A state of matter that has no fixed volume or shape.
Aqueous
A solution where water is the solvent; a solid is dissolved in water.
Pure Substance
Matter with distinct properties and a composition that does not vary from sample to sample.
Matter
The physical material of the universe; anything that has mass and takes up space.
Compounds
Substances made up of two or more elements in fixed proportions.
Atoms
The smallest particles that are the building blocks of matter and cannot be divided further.
Molecules
Combinations of two or more atoms.
Mixtures
Combinations of two or more substances where each retains its chemical identity.
Heterogeneous Mixture
A mixture that varies in composition.
Homogeneous Mixture
A mixture that has a uniform composition.
Physical Properties
Observable characteristics of a substance without changing its composition.
Chemical Properties
Describe how a substance may change or react to form other substances.
Intensive Properties
Do not depend on the amount of sample being examined.
Extensive Properties
Depend on the amount of sample being examined.
Elements
Substances that combine to create matter and cannot be decomposed into simpler substances.
Physical Changes
Alter the physical appearance of a substance without changing its composition.
Chemical Changes
Transform a substance into a new substance through a chemical reaction.
SI Units
The preferred metric units for science.
Giga (G)
Has the value of 1 × 109
Mega (M)
Has the value of 1 × 106
kilo (k)
Has the value of 1 × 103
centi ( c )
Has the value of 1 × 10-2
milli (m)
Has the value of 1 × 10-3
micro (μ)
Has the value of 1 × 10-6
nano (n)
Has the value of 1 × 10-9
Mass
A measure of the amount of material in an object; SI unit is the kilogram.
Length
A measure of distance; SI unit is the meter.
Volume
A derived unit from length; common units used are liters and meters.
Temperature
A measure of the hotness or coldness of an object; SI unit is Kelvin.
Celsius to Kelvin
K = C+273.15
Celsius to Fahrenheit
F=\dfrac{9}{5}\left( C+32\right)
Fahrenheit to Celsius
C=\dfrac{5}{9}\left( F-32\right)
Density
The amount of mass in a unit volume of a substance; density is equal to mass over volume (d=\dfrac{m}{v})
Precision
A measure how closely individual measurements agree with on another.
Accuracy
How closely individual measurements agree with the correct or “true” value.
Significant Figures
Digits in a measured quantity that indicate precision.
Energy Units
The SI unit for energy is the joule (J), with the kilojoule (kJ) and calorie (cal) also commonly used.