Stoichiometry and Chemical Equations

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering nomenclature, reaction types, stoichiometry, chemical equations, and the fundamental laws of chemical combination.

Binary Compounds

Compounds that are made up of only two elements, such as water ($H_2O$) or ammonia ($NH_3$).

Oxo-anions

Radicals or polyatomic ions in which oxygen atoms are bonded to a central atom, named systematically using the prefix denoting the number of oxygen atoms, the root of the central atom with the suffix "-ate", and the central atom's oxidation state in Roman numerals.

Oxo-acids

Compounds containing one or more hydrogen atoms bonded to an oxo-anion, named using the same naming rules as oxo-anions but with the word "acid" replacing the word "ion".

Variable Oxidation State

The chemical property where an element (such as copper, iron, lead, or tin) can exhibit more than one combining power or oxidation state across different compounds.

Empirical Formula

The simplest chemical formula of a compound that expresses the ratio of the number of different atoms present in the molecule.

Qualitative Analysis

The experimental process used to identify the specific elements present in a sample of an unknown compound.

Quantitative Analysis

The experimental determination of the exact mass or percentage mass of each constituent element present in a chemical compound.

Molecular Formula

The chemical formula of a compound that expresses the actual number of each kind of atom present in a molecule.

Law of Conservation of Matter

Also called the law of indestructibility of matter, it states that matter is neither created nor destroyed in the course of a chemical reaction, meaning mass is conserved.

Law of Definite Proportion

Also referred to as the law of constant proportion, it states that all pure samples of the same chemical compound contain the same elements combined in the same proportion by mass.

Law of Multiple Proportions

A chemical law stating that if two elements $A$ and $B$ combine together to form more than one compound, the different masses of $A$ that separately combine with a fixed mass of $B$ are in a simple whole number ratio.

Balanced Chemical Equation

A chemical equation that has the same number of each kind of atom on both the reactant side and the product side, balanced by introducing appropriate stoichiometric coefficients without changing chemical formulas.

Combustion Reaction

A chemical reaction between oxygen and any substance, such as the reaction of carbon or hydrocarbons with oxygen to produce oxides and energy.

Combination Reaction

A reaction in which two or more reactants react together to form a single chemical product, such as $Mg(s) + Cl_2(g) \rightarrow MgCl_2(s)$.

Decomposition Reaction

A chemical reaction in which a single substance breaks down to produce two or more distinct products, such as $CaCO_3 \rightarrow CaO(s) + CO_2(g)$.

Displacement Reaction

A reaction between a free element and a compound in which the free element displaces or substitutes one of the elements originally present in the compound.

Double Precipitation

Also termed double substitution, a reaction between two compounds in which they exchange components to form two new products according to the general form $AB + CD \rightarrow AD + BC$.

Mole Ratio

The ratio between the stoichiometric coefficients of compounds in a balanced chemical equation, interpreted as the relative numbers of moles reacting and produced.

Ionic Equation

A chemical equation that contains at least one ionic species as a reactant or product, leaving undissociated solids, liquids, and gases intact.

Spectator Ions

Ions in a chemical reaction that do not change in oxidation number or electric charge from reactants to products, which are cancelled out when deriving a net ionic equation.

Precipitate

An insoluble solid substance that separates out of a solution when reacting species combine during a chemical reaction.

Limiting Reagent

The reactant that is consumed completely first in a chemical reaction, thereby determining and limiting the maximum yield of product that can be formed.

Excess Reagent

A reactant present in a quantity greater than necessary to react completely with the available limiting reagent, leaving unreacted material at the end of the reaction.

Avogadro's Law

A fundamental gas law stating that equal volumes of all gases contain an equal number of moles (or molecules) when measured at the same temperature and pressure.