GCSE Chemistry Foundation Tier - Key Vocabulary

Flashcards for GCSE Chemistry Foundation Tier Paper 1

Neutron

A particle with no electrical charge found in the nucleus of an atom.

Neutron and Proton

Particles with approximately the same relative mass, found in the nucleus of an atom.

Acid

A substance that produces H+ ions in aqueous solution.

Alkali

A substance that produces OH- ions in aqueous solution.

Alkaline Solution

An aqueous solution with a pH greater than 7.

Pipette

Equipment used to accurately measure a specific volume of liquid.

Burette

Equipment used to add a precise volume of liquid drop by drop.

Anomalous Result

A result that does not fit the general trend of the data.

Element

A pure substance that consists of only one type of atom.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons.

Protons

Subatomic particles that are the same in isotopes of carbon.

Neutrons

Subatomic particles that are different in isotopes of carbon.

Buckminsterfullerene

A form of carbon consisting of 60 carbon atoms arranged in a spherical shape.

Delocalised electrons

The ability of graphite to conduct electricity is due to…

No covalent bonds between layers of atoms

The softness of graphite is due to …

Alloy

A mixture of two or more metals.

Atoms of tin and lead have different sizes

The layers in solders are distorted because…

Coarse Particle

Dust particles that are relatively large.

Nanoparticle

A very small particle with a diameter between 1 and 100 nanometers.

Surface area to volume ratio

A characteristic of nanoparticles: larger surface area relative to their volume

Platinum

A metal often used to make jewellery.

Metal

A type of element that is a good conductor of electricity and heat and is typically hard and shiny.

Transition Element

Metals located in the central block of the periodic table, known for their variable oxidation states and ability to form colored compounds.

Group 1 Element

Elements in Group 1 of the periodic table. They are highly reactive and form alkaline solutions when reacted with water.

Thermal Conductivity

A measure of how well a substance conducts thermal energy.

Ionic Compound

A substance that is made up of positively and negatively charged ions.

Electrolysis

The process of using electricity to break down a compound.

Electrolyte

A molten mixture of aluminium oxide and cryolite used as the electrolyte in the extraction of aluminium.

Displacement Reaction

A chemical reaction in which one element replaces another in a compound.

Reduction

The loss of oxygen (or gain of electrons) during a chemical reaction.

Plum Pudding Model

A model of the atom that proposed a positively charged sphere with negatively charged electrons embedded in it.

Atom Economy

A property of a reaction: (mass of desired product / total mass of reactants) x 100

Endothermic reaction

A reaction that absorbs heat from the surroundings, resulting in a decrease in temperature.

Random Error

An error that causes readings to differ randomly from the true value.