Lecture 4 – Unit Conversion, Temperature, Heat, and Density. The Atom!

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts in Unit Conversion, Temperature, Heat, Density, and Atomic Structure.

Conversion Factor

A mathematical expression of the numerical relationship between two units.

Density

The physical property that relates the mass of an object to its volume; mass per unit volume.

Specific Gravity

The density of a substance divided by the density of water at the same temperature.

Energy

The capacity to do work or supply heat.

Specific Heat

The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 g of a substance by 1 °C.

Atomic Mass Unit (amu)

The unit for describing the mass of an atom based on the mass of a carbon-12 atom.

Atomic Number (Z)

The number of protons in atoms of a given element.

Mass Number (A)

The sum of the protons and neutrons in an atom.

Subatomic Particles

The particles that make up an atom: protons (positive), neutrons (neutral), and electrons (negative).

Protons

Subatomic particles that carry a positive electrical charge.

Neutrons

Subatomic particles that have a mass similar to that of a proton but are electrically neutral.

Electrons

Subatomic particles that have a mass that is only 1/1,836 that of a proton and carry a negative electrical charge.