General Chemistry Practice Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards based on the ACS General Chemistry Official Guide transcript, covering fundamental concepts from atomic structure to electrochemistry.

Atomic Number

Indicated by the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom and determines the identity of an element.

Mass Number

The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

Isoelectronic

A term used to describe atoms or ions that possess the same number of electrons, such as $Ne$, $F^-$, and $Mg^{2+}$.

Isotopes

Forms of the same element that differ only in the number of neutrons in their nuclei.

Alpha Particle

A particle with two units of positive charge that, if lost from the nucleus, changes the atomic number of the element.

Beta Particle

A particle with one unit of negative charge emitted during nuclear changes.

Valence Shell

The outermost shell of an atom that contains the electrons involved in chemical bonding.

Photon

A packet of energy where the amount of energy is related to the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation by the equation $E = h\nu$.

Hund's Rule

A rule specifying that electrons in orbitals of the same energy do not pair until they have to.

Paramagnetism

An experimental phenomenon associated with atoms having unpaired electrons, causing them to be attracted to a magnetic field.

VSEPR Model

The valence-shell electron-pair repulsion model used for predicting the geometric arrangement of atoms in a molecule.

Resonance

A condition where the actual structure of a molecule is intermediate between two or more Lewis electron-dot formulas because one formula cannot adequately describe the bonding.

Ionic Bond

A type of chemical bond that results when atoms exchange electrons to form positive and negative ions.

Covalent Bond

A type of chemical bond that results when atoms each contribute an electron to a shared pair.

Electronegativity

A measure of the relative ability of an atom to attract the electrons in a chemical bond.

Stoichiometry

The area of chemical study considering the quantities of materials in chemical formulas and equations.

Empirical Formula

The lowest whole number ratio of atoms in a molecule or formula unit, also known as the simplest formula.

Avogadro Constant ($N_A$)

A constant representing the number of particles in one mole of a substance, valued at $6.022 \times 10^{23}\,mol^{-1}$.

Theoretical Yield

The maximum amount of product that can be produced in a chemical reaction based on the limiting reagent.

Percent Yield

The ratio of the experimental yield to the theoretical yield, expressed as a percentage: $\text{Percent Yield} = \frac{\text{Experimental Yield}}{\text{Theoretical Yield}} \times 100$.

Limiting Reagent

The reactant in a chemical reaction that is completely used up first and limits the amount of product formed.

Vapor Pressure

A measure of the tendency of a substance to change from a liquid to its gaseous phase.

Molarity ($M$)

A unit of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter ($dm^3$) of solution.

Specific Heat

The heat-exchanging capacity of a material expressed as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a mass by one degree.

Calorimeter Constant

The heat capacity of a calorimeter, representing the energy required to raise the temperature of the reaction chamber's surroundings by one degree Celsius.

Hess's Law

A principle stating that if a reaction is carried out in a series of steps, the $\Delta H$ for the overall reaction is the sum of the enthalpy changes for the individual steps.

Entropy ($S$)

A thermodynamic quantity that expresses the disorder or randomness in a chemical system.

Gibbs Free Energy ($G$)

A thermodynamic function used to predict reaction spontaneity, defined by the equation $\Delta G = \Delta H - T\Delta S$.

Activation Energy ($E_a$)

The height of the energy barrier that must be overcome for a forward reaction to occur.

Catalyst

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed by providing an alternative mechanism with a lower activation energy.

Dynamic Equilibrium

A state where the rate of the forward reaction is balanced by the rate of the reverse reaction, resulting in constant concentrations.

LeChatelier's Principle

A principle used to predict how a system at equilibrium responds to changes in temperature, pressure, or concentration.

Solubility Product ($K_{sp}$)

An equilibrium constant for a partially soluble salt describing the relationship between the concentrations of its ions in a saturated solution.

Oxidation

A redox process characterized by the loss of electrons and an increase in oxidation number.

Reduction

A redox process characterized by the gain of electrons and a decrease in oxidation number.

Faraday Constant ($F$)

The amount of electric charge per mole of electrons, valued at approximately $96,485\,C\cdot mol^{-1}$.

Precision

A measure of the reproducibility of laboratory results or how close measurements are to each other.

Accuracy

A measure of how closely a laboratory measurement agrees with the accepted or true value.

Atomic Mass

The weighted average mass of an atom, considering the relative abundance of its isotopes.

Electron Configuration

The distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals, which determines its chemical properties.

Chemical Reaction

A process that involves the rearrangement of atoms to form new substances.

Acid-Base Reaction

A chemical reaction that involves the transfer of protons (H+) between reactants.

Oxidation State

A number that represents the total number of electrons an atom gains or loses when forming a compound.

Electrochemistry

The study of chemical processes that cause electrons to move, which underlies the principles of batteries and electrolysis.

Thermodynamics

The study of the relationships between heat, work, temperature, and energy.

Chemical Equilibrium

The state of a reaction when the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal.

pH Scale

A logarithmic scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

Reaction Rate

The speed at which reactants are converted into products in a chemical reaction.

Atomic Number

Indicated by the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom and determines the identity of an element.

Mass Number

The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom.

Isoelectronic

A term used to describe atoms or ions that possess the same number of electrons, such as $Ne$, $F^-$, and $Mg^{2+}$.

Isotopes

Forms of the same element that differ only in the number of neutrons in their nuclei.

Alpha Particle

A particle with two units of positive charge that, if lost from the nucleus, changes the atomic number of the element.

Beta Particle

A particle with one unit of negative charge emitted during nuclear changes.

Valence Shell

The outermost shell of an atom that contains the electrons involved in chemical bonding.

Photon

A packet of energy where the amount of energy is related to the frequency of the electromagnetic radiation by the equation $E = h\nu$.

Hund's Rule

A rule specifying that electrons in orbitals of the same energy do not pair until they have to.

Paramagnetism

An experimental phenomenon associated with atoms having unpaired electrons, causing them to be attracted to a magnetic field.

VSEPR Model

The valence-shell electron-pair repulsion model used for predicting the geometric arrangement of atoms in a molecule.

Resonance

A condition where the actual structure of a molecule is intermediate between two or more Lewis electron-dot formulas because one formula cannot adequately describe the bonding.

Ionic Bond

A type of chemical bond that results when atoms exchange electrons to form positive and negative ions.

Covalent Bond

A type of chemical bond that results when atoms each contribute an electron to a shared pair.

Electronegativity

A measure of the relative ability of an atom to attract the electrons in a chemical bond.

Stoichiometry

The area of chemical study considering the quantities of materials in chemical formulas and equations.

Empirical Formula

The lowest whole number ratio of atoms in a molecule or formula unit, also known as the simplest formula.

Avogadro Constant ($N_A$)

A constant representing the number of particles in one mole of a substance, valued at $6.022 \times 10^{23}\,mol^{-1}$.

Theoretical Yield

The maximum amount of product that can be produced in a chemical reaction based on the limiting reagent.

Percent Yield

The ratio of the experimental yield to the theoretical yield, expressed as a percentage: $\text{Percent Yield} = \frac{\text{Experimental Yield}}{\text{Theoretical Yield}} \times 100$.

Limiting Reagent

The reactant in a chemical reaction that is completely used up first and limits the amount of product formed.

Vapor Pressure

A measure of the tendency of a substance to change from a liquid to its gaseous phase.

Molarity ($M$)

A unit of concentration defined as the number of moles of solute per liter ($dm^3$) of solution.

Specific Heat

The heat-exchanging capacity of a material expressed as the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a mass by one degree.

Calorimeter Constant

The heat capacity of a calorimeter, representing the energy required to raise the temperature of the reaction chamber's surroundings by one degree Celsius.

Hess's Law

A principle stating that if a reaction is carried out in a series of steps, the $\Delta H$ for the overall reaction is the sum of the enthalpy changes for the individual steps.

Entropy ($S$)

A thermodynamic quantity that expresses the disorder or randomness in a chemical system.

Gibbs Free Energy ($G$)

A thermodynamic function used to predict reaction spontaneity, defined by the equation $\Delta G = \Delta H - T\Delta S$.

Activation Energy ($E_a$)

The height of the energy barrier that must be overcome for a forward reaction to occur.

Catalyst

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed by providing an alternative mechanism with a lower activation energy.

Dynamic Equilibrium

A state where the rate of the forward reaction is balanced by the rate of the reverse reaction, resulting in constant concentrations.

LeChatelier's Principle

A principle used to predict how a system at equilibrium responds to changes in temperature, pressure, or concentration.

Solubility Product ($K_{sp}$)

An equilibrium constant for a partially soluble salt describing the relationship between the concentrations of its ions in a saturated solution.

Oxidation

A redox process characterized by the loss of electrons and an increase in oxidation number.

Reduction

A redox process characterized by the gain of electrons and a decrease in oxidation number.

Faraday Constant ($F$)

The amount of electric charge per mole of electrons, valued at approximately $96,485\,C\cdot mol^{-1}$.

Precision

A measure of the reproducibility of laboratory results or how close measurements are to each other.

Accuracy

A measure of how closely a laboratory measurement agrees with the accepted or true value.

Atomic Mass

The weighted average mass of an atom, considering the relative abundance of its isotopes.

Electron Configuration

The distribution of electrons in an atom's orbitals, which determines its chemical properties.

Chemical Reaction

A process that involves the rearrangement of atoms to form new substances.

Acid-Base Reaction

A chemical reaction that involves the transfer of protons (H+) between reactants.

Oxidation State

A number that represents the total number of electrons an atom gains or loses when forming a compound.

Electrochemistry

The study of chemical processes that cause electrons to move, which underlies the principles of batteries and electrolysis.

Thermodynamics

The study of the relationships between heat, work, temperature, and energy.

Chemical Equilibrium

The state of a reaction when the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal.

pH Scale

A logarithmic scale used to specify the acidity or basicity of an aqueous solution.

Reaction Rate

The speed at which reactants are converted into products in a chemical reaction.