Basic Chemistry Lecture Notes

A collection of flashcards based on basic chemistry concepts covered in the lecture.

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space.

Atoms

The smallest unit of matter composed of subatomic particles.

Subatomic Particles

Particles smaller than atoms, including protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Protons

Positively charged subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

Neutrons

Neutral subatomic particles found in the nucleus of an atom.

Electrons

Negatively charged subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom.

Octet Rule

Atoms tend to fill their outer electron shells to achieve stability.

Atomic Number

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, which defines the element.

Isotopes

Different forms of the same element that have varying numbers of neutrons.

Cations

Ions with a positive charge due to the loss of electrons.

Anions

Ions with a negative charge due to the gain of electrons.

Ionic Bonds

Chemical bonds formed through the electrical attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Covalent Bonds

Chemical bonds formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms.

Polar Covalent Bonds

Covalent bonds where electrons are unequally shared, leading to partial charges.

Nonpolar Covalent Bonds

Covalent bonds where electrons are equally shared between atoms.

Hydrogen Bonds

Weak attractions between a hydrogen atom with a partial positive charge and an electronegative atom.

Thermodynamics

The study of energy, its transformations, and the laws governing these processes.

Entropy

A measure of disorder or randomness in a system.

Specific Heat Capacity

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of a substance by one degree Celsius.

Cohesion

The tendency of water molecules to stick to each other due to hydrogen bonding.

Adhesion

The tendency of water molecules to stick to other substances.

Buffers

Substances that minimize changes in pH by absorbing excess H⁺ or OH⁻ ions.

Isomers

Molecules with the same chemical formula but different structural arrangements.

Chirality

The property of a molecule that makes it non-superimposable on its mirror image.

Functional Groups

Specific groups of atoms within molecules that determine the characteristics and chemical reactivity of compounds.