Chemistry Basics Vocabulary (Notes: Pure vs Applied, Matter, States, Reactions, History)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the lecture notes on pure/applied chemistry, matter, mixtures, properties, states, separation techniques, and history of chemistry.

Pure Chemistry

Branch of chemistry pursued for knowledge and understanding rather than immediate practical use.

Applied Chemistry

Branch of chemistry aimed at using chemical knowledge to create products or solve practical problems.

Matter

Anything that has mass and occupies space.

Substance

Matter with uniform and definite composition; a pure material.

Mixture

A physical blend of two or more substances without definite composition.

Element

A pure substance that cannot be broken down by chemical means.

Compound

Substance formed when two or more elements are chemically bonded; can be decomposed by chemical means.

Homogeneous Mixture

A mixture with uniform composition throughout (also called a solution).

Heterogeneous Mixture

A mixture in which components are not uniform and retain distinct properties.

Physical Property

A property that can be measured without changing the substance's identity (e.g., density, color, hardness, melting point).

Intensive Property

A property that does not depend on the amount of matter (e.g., density, color, hardness).

Extensive Property

A property that depends on the amount of matter (e.g., mass, volume).

Physical Change

A change in which the substance's identity remains the same; no new substances are formed (e.g., bend, melt, cut).

Chemical Property

A property that describes the ability of a substance to undergo a chemical change.

Chemical Change

A change that results in a new substance with different composition (e.g., rusting, burning, decomposing).

State of Matter

Forms in which matter can exist: solid, liquid, gas, and vapor.

Solid

Definite shape and volume; incompressible and usually ordered.

Liquid

Definite volume, indefinite shape; flows and is incompressible.

Gas

Indefinite shape and volume; compressible and flows.

Vapor

Gaseous state of a substance that is typically a liquid or solid at room temperature.

Filtration

Physical separation of solids from liquids based on particle size.

Distillation

Physical separation based on differences in boiling points to separate components.

Democritus

Ancient Greek thinker who proposed atoms ('atomos' = indivisible).

Atom

The basic unit of an element; the smallest unit that retains the element's properties.

John Dalton

Proposed the modern atomic theory; matter is made of atoms that combine in simple ratios.

Antoine Lavoisier

Father of Modern Chemistry; emphasized careful measurement and oxygen's role; helped establish conservation of mass.

Robert Boyle

Author of The Skeptical Chemist; early advocate of experimentation and scientific method.

Conservation of Mass

Mass is conserved in chemical reactions; mass of reactants equals mass of products.

Reactants

Substances that start a chemical reaction.

Products

Substances produced by a chemical reaction.

Water (H2O)

Compound of hydrogen and oxygen; common solvent and essential for life.

Sodium Chloride (NaCl)

Table salt; compound formed from sodium and chlorine.

Nylon

Synthetic polymer; example of applied chemistry producing new materials.

Aspirin

Pharmaceutical produced by chemical knowledge; example of applied chemistry.

Air

A homogeneous mixture of gases surrounding us.

Solution

A homogeneous mixture formed when a solute dissolves in a solvent.