General Chemistry Practice Exam - Multiple Choice Concepts

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts from the chemistry multiple-choice review, including energy types, matter classification, atomic structure history, and measurement rules.

Atom

The smallest identifiable unit of an element.

Potential Energy

The stored energy an object possesses due to its position, such as a brick held at a height before being released.

Pure Substance

A form of matter with a constant chemical composition and distinct properties, excluding mixtures such as sodium chloride dissolved in water.

Heterogeneous Solution

A non-uniform mixture of substances that remain distinct from one another, such as gasoline and water.

Ernest Rutherford

The scientist credited with the discovery of the atomic nucleus.

Significant Figures in Addition

The rule requiring that the result of adding numbers (such as $4.20$, $0.098$, and $3.15$) be rounded to the same number of decimal places as the quantity with the fewest decimal places.

Pure Substance

A form of matter with a constant chemical composition and distinct properties, excluding mixtures such as sodium chloride dissolved in water.

Heterogeneous Solution

A non-uniform mixture of substances that remain distinct from one another, such as gasoline and water.

Ernest Rutherford

The scientist credited with the discovery of the atomic nucleus.

Significant Figures in Addition

The rule requiring that the result of adding numbers (such as $4.20$, $0.098$, and $3.15$) be rounded to the same number of decimal places as the quantity with the fewest decimal places.

Classification of Matter Diagram

A visual scheme used in general chemistry to categorize matter into pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures (homogeneous and heterogeneous).

Homogeneous Mixture

A mixture that maintains a uniform composition and appearance throughout, such as sodium chloride dissolved completely in water.

Kinetic Energy

The energy associated with the motion of an object, represented mathematically by $E_k = \frac{1}{2}m v^2$.

Atom

The smallest identifiable unit of an element.

Potential Energy

The stored energy an object possesses due to its position, such as a brick held at a height before being released.

Pure Substance

A form of matter with a constant chemical composition and distinct properties, excluding mixtures such as sodium chloride dissolved in water.

Heterogeneous Solution

A non-uniform mixture of substances that remain distinct from one another, such as gasoline and water.

Ernest Rutherford

The scientist credited with the discovery of the atomic nucleus.

Significant Figures in Addition

The rule requiring that the result of adding numbers (such as $4.20$, $0.098$, and $3.15$) be rounded to the same number of decimal places as the quantity with the fewest decimal places.

Classification of Matter Diagram

A visual scheme used in general chemistry to categorize matter into pure substances (elements and compounds) and mixtures (homogeneous and heterogeneous).

Homogeneous Mixture

A mixture that maintains a uniform composition and appearance throughout, such as sodium chloride dissolved completely in water.

Kinetic Energy

The energy associated with the motion of an object, represented mathematically by $E_k = \frac{1}{2}m v^2$.

Pauli Exclusion Principle

The quantum mechanical principle stating that an orbital can accommodate a maximum of two electrons, provided they possess opposite spins.

Metalloid

An element exhibiting chemical and physical properties intermediate between metals and nonmetals, such as antimony ($Sb$).

p Orbital Shape

The dumbbell or figure-8 shape characteristic of atomic orbitals in the $p$ subshell.

Effective Nuclear Charge ($Z_{eff}$) Effect on Atomic Size

As $Z_{eff}$ increases across a period, atomic radii tend to become smaller due to the increased attractive force exerted by the nucleus on valence electrons.

Atomic Radius Group Trend

Atomic size increases moving down a group or column in the periodic table due to the addition of principal energy levels.