General Chemistry Chapters 1–3 Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering foundational chemistry definitions, metric prefixes, atomic structure, polyatomic ions, nomenclature, and stoichiometry concepts from Chapters 1 through 3.

Homogeneous mixture

A mixture that is uniform throughout and has one visible phase (e.g., salt water).

Heterogeneous mixture

A mixture that is not uniform throughout and contains distinguishable regions (e.g., oil and water).

Physical separation

A method of separating components of a mixture that does not change the chemical identity of the substances (e.g., filtration removes undissolved solid; distillation separates by boiling point).

Physical property

A characteristic of a substance that can be observed or measured without changing its chemical identity (e.g., density, color, melting point).

Intensive property

A property of matter that is independent of the sample size (e.g., density, temperature).

Extensive property

A property of matter that depends on the sample size (e.g., mass, volume).

Physical change

A process in which the physical form of matter changes, but its chemical identity is preserved (e.g., water freezing).

Chemical change

A process in which one or more new substances are formed (e.g., burning, tarnishing).

Accuracy

The closeness of a measured value to the accepted or actual value.

Precision

The closeness of repeated measurements of the same quantity to one another.

Random error

An unpredictable measurement error that mainly reduces precision.

Systematic error

A repeatable measurement error that creates a consistent bias and reduces accuracy.

Significant figures rule for logarithms

For $\\text{log}(x)$, the number of decimal places in the answer equals the number of significant figures in $x$; for $10^x$, the number of significant figures in the answer equals the number of decimal places in $x$.

Giga

A metric prefix represented by symbol $G$, corresponding to a power of $10^9$ (billion).

Mega

A metric prefix represented by symbol $M$, corresponding to a power of $10^6$ (million).

Kilo

A metric prefix represented by symbol $k$, corresponding to a power of $10^3$ (thousand).

Deci

A metric prefix represented by symbol $d$, corresponding to a power of $10^{-1}$ (tenth).

Centi

A metric prefix represented by symbol $c$, corresponding to a power of $10^{-2}$ (hundredth).

Milli

A metric prefix represented by symbol $m$, corresponding to a power of $10^{-3}$ (thousandth).

Micro

A metric prefix represented by symbol $\mu$, corresponding to a power of $10^{-6}$ (millionth).

Nano

A metric prefix represented by symbol $n$, corresponding to a power of $10^{-9}$ (billionth).

Pico

A metric prefix represented by symbol $p$, corresponding to a power of $10^{-12}$ (trillionth).

Femto

A metric prefix represented by symbol $f$, corresponding to a power of $10^{-15}$ (quadrillionth).

Joule

The SI unit of energy, represented by the symbol $J$.

Dalton's atomic theory

Model proposing that matter is composed of atoms, atoms of an element are alike, compounds form in whole-number ratios, and chemical reactions rearrange atoms.

J. J. Thomson

Scientist who used cathode rays to discover electrons and proposed the plum-pudding model of the atom.

Millikan

Scientist who measured electron charge using the oil-drop experiment and combined it with Thomson's ratio to determine electron mass.

Rutherford

Scientist who conducted the gold-foil experiment and showed that the atom is mostly empty space with a small, positive nucleus.

Modern atomic model

Atomic model in which the nucleus contains protons and neutrons, and electrons occupy a probability cloud.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element containing the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

Ion

An atom or group of atoms of an element with a net electrical charge due to a different number of electrons relative to protons.

Cation

A positively charged ion formed by losing electrons.

Anion

A negatively charged ion formed by gaining electrons.

Metals

Elements located mostly on the left and center of the periodic table that tend to form cations.

Nonmetals

Elements located on the upper right of the periodic table plus hydrogen that tend to form anions or covalent bonds.

Metalloids

Elements positioned along the stair-step of the periodic table that exhibit properties of both metals and nonmetals.

Average atomic mass

The weighted mass of an element calculated as $\Sigma(\text{fractional abundance} \times \text{isotope mass})$.

Ammonium

A polyatomic cation with the formula $NH_4^+$.

Hydroxide

A polyatomic anion with the formula $OH^-$.

Cyanide

A polyatomic anion with the formula $CN^-$.

Acetate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $C_2H_3O_2^-$.

Carbonate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $CO_3^{2-}$.

Hydrogen carbonate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $HCO_3^-$.

Oxalate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $C_2O_4^{2-}$.

Nitrite

A polyatomic anion with the formula $NO_2^-$.

Nitrate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $NO_3^-$.

Phosphate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $PO_4^{3-}$.

Hydrogen phosphate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $HPO_4^{2-}$.

Dihydrogen phosphate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $H_2PO_4^-$.

Sulfite

A polyatomic anion with the formula $SO_3^{2-}$.

Sulfate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $SO_4^{2-}$.

Hydrogen sulfate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $HSO_4^-$.

Chromate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $CrO_4^{2-}$.

Dichromate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $Cr_2O_7^{2-}$.

Permanganate

A polyatomic anion with the formula $MnO_4^-$.

Oxyanion ladder

Naming pattern based on oxygen levels: least oxygen = hypo–root–ite, second least = root–ite, second most = root–ate, and most oxygen = per–root–ate.

Ionic compound

A compound formed from a metal and a nonmetal (or polyatomic ion) that balances positive and negative charges without using Greek prefixes.

Molecular compound

A covalent compound composed of two nonmetals that uses Greek prefixes to specify the subscript of each element.

Acid

A compound whose formula begins with $H$ and exists in aqueous solution ($(aq)$).

Hydrate

An ionic compound combined with a specific number of bound water molecules ($\text{ionic compound} \cdot nH_2O$).

Binary acid

An aqueous acid containing hydrogen and a nonmetal element, named using the pattern hydro–root–ic acid.

Oxyacid

An acid containing hydrogen and an oxyanion, named as root–ic acid if the polyatomic anion ends in -ate, or root–ous acid if it ends in -ite.

Alkane

A class of organic compounds consisting entirely of single $C-C$ and $C-H$ bonds.

Alcohol

A class of organic compounds characterized by an $R-OH$ group.

Amine

A class of organic compounds characterized by $R$ groups attached to a nitrogen atom ($N$).

Carboxylic acid

A class of organic compounds characterized by a carboxyl functional group ($R-COOH$).

Avogadro's number

The number of representative particles in one mole of a substance, equal to $6.022 \times 10^{23}\text{ particles}$.

Molar mass

The mass in grams of one mole of a substance, expressed in units of $g\,mol^{-1}$.