general Chemistry

What is the difference between laws and theories in science?

Laws describe observed phenomena and predict outcomes, while theories provide explanations for those phenomena.

What are the three states of matter?

Solid, liquid, and gas.

What is the scientific method?

A systematic approach to investigation that includes observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and conclusion.

How can you classify changes as physical or chemical?

Physical changes alter form but not identity, while chemical changes alter the substance's identity.

What are significant figures?

Digits in a number that carry meaning contributing to its precision.

What is dimensional analysis?

A method to convert units by multiplying by conversion factors.

What is the atomic structure composed of?

Protons, neutrons, and electrons.

What defines isotopes?

Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.

How is average atomic mass calculated?

By taking the weighted average of the masses of the isotopes.

What information can you derive from the periodic table?

Element properties, atomic number, atomic mass, and electron configurations.

What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

The range of all types of electromagnetic radiation.

What are quantum numbers?

Sets of numbers that describe the properties of atomic orbitals and the electrons in those orbitals.

What shapes do the s, p, d, and f orbitals have?

s-orbitals are spherical, p-orbitals are dumbbell-shaped, d-orbitals have clover shapes, and f-orbitals are complex.

What is the difference between ionic and covalent bonding?

Ionic bonding involves the transfer of electrons, while covalent bonding involves the sharing of electrons.

What are Lewis structures used for?

To represent the bonds between atoms and the arrangement of valence electrons.

What is molecular geometry?

The three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule.

What is the Ideal Gas Law?

An equation of state for a gas, PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is moles, R is the gas constant, and T is temperature.

What is enthalpy?

The measure of total heat content in a system, represented as ΔH.

What is Hess's Law?

The total enthalpy change during a reaction is the sum of all changes, regardless of the pathway taken.

What are polyatomic ions?

Ions composed of two or more atoms bonded together that carry a charge.

What is Avogadro's number?

6.022 x 10^23, the number of particles in one mole of a substance.

How do you convert Celsius to Kelvin?

Add 273.15 to the Celsius temperature.

What is the difference between laws and theories in science?

Laws describe observed phenomena and predict outcomes, while theories provide explanations for those phenomena.

What are the three states of matter?

Solid, liquid, and gas.

What is the scientific method?

A systematic approach to investigation that includes observation, hypothesis, experimentation, and conclusion.

How can you classify changes as physical or chemical?

Physical changes alter form but not identity, while chemical changes alter the substance's identity.

What are significant figures?

Digits in a number that carry meaning contributing to its precision.

What is dimensional analysis?

A method to convert units by multiplying by conversion factors.

What is the atomic structure composed of?

Protons, neutrons, and electrons.

What defines isotopes?

Isotopes are atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.

How is average atomic mass calculated?

By taking the weighted average of the masses of the isotopes.

What information can you derive from the periodic table?

Element properties, atomic number, atomic mass, and electron configurations.

What is the electromagnetic spectrum?

The range of all types of electromagnetic radiation.

What are quantum numbers?

Sets of numbers that describe the properties of atomic orbitals and the electrons in those orbitals.

What shapes do the s, p, d, and f orbitals have?

s-orbitals are spherical, p-orbitals are dumbbell-shaped, d-orbitals have clover shapes, and f-orbitals are complex.

What is the difference between ionic and covalent bonding?

Ionic bonding involves the transfer of electrons, while covalent bonding involves the sharing of electrons.

What are Lewis structures used for?

To represent the bonds between atoms and the arrangement of valence electrons.

What is molecular geometry?

The three-dimensional arrangement of atoms in a molecule.

What is the Ideal Gas Law?

An equation of state for a gas, PV = nRT, where P is pressure, V is volume, n is moles, R is the gas constant, and T is temperature.

What is enthalpy?

The measure of total heat content in a system, represented as $\Delta H$ .

What is Hess's Law?

The total enthalpy change during a reaction is the sum of all changes, regardless of the pathway taken.

What are polyatomic ions?

Ions composed of two or more atoms bonded together that carry a charge.

What is Avogadro's number?

$6.022 \times 10^{23}$, the number of particles in one mole of a substance.

How do you convert Celsius to Kelvin?

Add 273.15 to the Celsius temperature.

What is a mole in chemistry?

A unit of measurement in chemistry that represents $6.022 \times 10^{23}$ particles (atoms, molecules, ions, etc.) of a substance.

How is molar mass determined?

Molar mass is the mass in grams of one mole of a substance, derived by summing the atomic masses of all atoms in its chemical formula.

What does a chemical equation represent?

A symbolic representation of a chemical reaction, showing reactants on the left, products on the right, and the stoichiometric ratios between them.

Why must chemical equations be balanced?

Chemical equations must be balanced to satisfy the Law of Conservation of Mass, ensuring that the number of atoms for each element is the same on both sides of the equation.

List common types of chemical reactions.

1. Synthesis Reaction: A + B $\rightarrow$ AB
2. Decomposition Reaction: AB $\rightarrow$ A + B
3. Single-Replacement Reaction: A + BC $\rightarrow$ AC + B
4. Double-Replacement Reaction: AB + CD $\rightarrow$ AD + CB
5. Combustion Reaction: A rapid reaction with oxygen, often producing heat and light.