Hill's Chemistry for Changing Times - Chapter 1 Vocabulary

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, concepts, researchers, and formulas from Chapter 1.

Chemistry

The study of matter and its changes.

Science

The process of seeking an understanding of the underlying principles of nature, involving technological (factual) and philosophical (theoretical) facets.

Technology

The direct application of knowledge to solve problems.

Natural Philosophy

Philosophical speculation about nature, from which science grew.

Francis Bacon

Philosopher who envisioned that science would solve the world's problems and enrich human life with new inventions, thereby increasing happiness and prosperity (the Baconian Dream).

Rachel Carson

Biologist who published Silent Spring in 1962, proposing that the use of chemicals to control insects threatened the destruction of all life.

Green Chemistry

A branch of chemistry that uses materials and processes intended to prevent or reduce pollution at its source.

Sustainable Chemistry

Chemistry designed to meet the needs of the present generation without compromising the needs of future generations.

Scientific Hypothesis

A testable explanation of observed data.

Scientific Law

A summary of large amounts of scientific data that provides descriptions of natural phenomena, often stated mathematically (such as Boyle's Law, $PV = k$).

Scientific Theory

A set of tested hypotheses that explain natural phenomena, representing the best current explanation and remaining tentative as observations change.

Scientific Model

Tangible items or pictures used to represent invisible processes.

Molecule

A group of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.

Molecular Model

A three-dimensional representation of a molecule.

Desirability Quotient (DQ)

An estimation used in risk-benefit analysis, defined as Benefits divided by Risks ($DQ = \frac{\text{Benefits}}{\text{Risks}}$).

Applied Research

Scientific research involving the study of a specific problem in industry or the environment, such as George Washington Carver's work developing over 300 products from peanuts.

George Washington Carver

An agricultural researcher whose work with peanuts exemplified applied research, developing more than 300 peanut products.

Basic Research

Scientific research that involves the search for knowledge for its own sake, such as Gertrude Elion's work with purines and their role in the cell.

Gertrude Elion

A scientist whose work studying purines and their cellular role exemplified basic research.

Matter

Anything that has mass and volume.

Mass

The measure of the amount of matter in an object.

Weight

The measure of the gravitational force on the matter in an object.

Physical Property

A property of a substance that can be observed without changing the substance, such as color, mass, weight, temperature, taste, odor, boiling point, hardness, and density.

Chemical Property

A property of a substance that can only be studied by forming new substances, such as rusting, burning, tarnishing, exploding, or toxicity.

Physical Change

A change in which the chemical identity of the substance is not changed, such as melting or freezing.

Solid

A state of matter that has a definite shape and a definite volume.

Liquid

A state of matter that has a definite volume but no definite shape.

Gas

A state of matter that has neither a definite volume nor a definite shape.

Element

A substance composed of only one type of atom, represented by chemical symbols such as $Cl$, $H$, and $Mg$.

Atom

The smallest particle of an element.

Compound

A substance made of two or more elements chemically combined, such as $NaCl$, $H_2O$, and $C_6H_{12}O_6$.

Mixture

A physical blend of two or more substances, which can be homogeneous or heterogeneous.

Homogeneous Mixture

A mixture that is uniform in composition throughout.

Heterogeneous Mixture

A mixture that is not uniform in composition throughout.

Nanotechnology

The study and manipulation of matter at the atomic or molecular level.

Density

The amount of matter in a given amount of space, calculated as mass divided by volume ($\text{Density} = \frac{\text{mass}}{\text{volume}}$).

Energy

The ability to change matter, either physically or chemically.

Potential Energy

Stored energy.

Kinetic Energy

Energy in motion.

Heat

Energy that is transferred from hotter objects to cooler objects.

Temperature

The measure of the average kinetic energy of the atoms or molecules that make up an object.

Calorie (cal)

The amount of heat required to change the temperature of $1.00\,g$ of water by $1.00^\circ C$, where $1\,cal = 4.184\,J$.

Food Calorie (Cal)

A dietary unit equal to one kilocalorie ($1\,Cal = 1\,kcal = 1000\,cal = 4184\,J$).

Celsius to Kelvin Conversion

The mathematical formula used to convert temperature from Celsius to Kelvin: $K = ^\circ C + 273.15$.

FLaReS Test

A four-part test used to evaluate the validity of a claim, consisting of Falsifiability, Logical, Replicability, and Sufficiency.

Science characteristics (5)

• Testable

• Reproducible

• Explanatory

• Predictive

• Tentative

Limitations of Science

Science is limited to studying that which is observable as well as processes in which variables can be controlled.