Chemistry Fundamentals - Page 1

20 vocabulary flashcards covering atoms, isotopes, ions, periodic-table regions, formulas, and compound naming.

Notation like ^A_Z X (or yXz-) that shows A (mass number), Z (atomic number), the element X, and the charge; used to describe the composition of isotopes and ions.

Isotope notation

Total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus; A = Z + N.

Mass number (A)

Number of protons in the nucleus; defines the identity of the element.

Atomic number (Z)

Weighted average mass of an element's atoms based on the relative abundances of its isotopes.

Atomic weight

Percent composition of a particular isotope relative to all isotopes of the element.

Isotopic abundance

Three broad categories on the periodic table; metals are typically on the left and middle, nonmetals on the right, metalloids along a dividing line with mixed properties.

Metals, nonmetals, metalloids

Notation listing the elements in a compound and the number of each type of atom.

Chemical formula

Exact number of each type of atom in one molecule of a compound.

Molecular formula

Simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in a compound.

Empirical formula

Diagram showing how atoms are bonded and arranged in a molecule.

Structural formula

Compound composed of positively charged ions (cations) and negatively charged ions (anions), formed by electron transfer.

Ionic compound

Compound formed by sharing electrons between two or more nonmetals.

Covalent compound

Positively charged ion created when an atom loses electrons.

Cation

Negatively charged ion created when an atom gains electrons.

Anion

A charged group of covalently bonded atoms that acts as a single ion.

Polyatomic ion

Elements that exist as diatomic molecules under standard conditions: H2, N2, O2, F2, Cl2, Br2, I2.

Diatomic elements

A compound of exactly two nonmetals; named using prefixes to indicate the number of atoms (e.g., CO2 is carbon dioxide).

Binary covalent compound

NH3; a binary covalent compound of nitrogen and hydrogen.

Ammonia

H2O; a binary covalent compound consisting of hydrogen and oxygen in a 2:1 ratio.

Water

Name of an ionic compound is the cation name followed by the anion name; monoatomic anions end with -ide (e.g., NaCl = sodium chloride).

Naming ionic compounds from formula