AP Chemistry Exam Review - Vocabulary Flashcards

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from the AP Chemistry Exam Review, Units 1-9.

Mass Spectrometry

A technique used to determine the mass-to-charge ratio of ions, providing evidence for isotopes.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element with the same atomic number but different numbers of neutrons, leading to variations in atomic mass.

Mole

A unit of amount equal to 6.02 x 10^23 representative particles, molar mass of a substance, or 22.4 L of a gas at STP.

STP

Standard Temperature and Pressure, used for gas calculations.

Percent Composition

The percentage by mass of each element in a compound.

Hydrate

A compound that contains water molecules within its crystal structure.

Empirical Formula

The simplest whole number ratio of elements in a compound.

Molecular Formula

The actual formula of a compound, which is a whole number multiple of the empirical formula.

Gravimetric Analysis

A quantitative analytical technique based on the measurement of mass.

Analyte

A substance whose chemical constituents are being identified and measured

Electron Configuration

The arrangement of electrons within the orbitals of an atom.

Orbital Diagram

Shows distribution of electrons with the lowest energy (most stable)

Ionization Energy

The energy required to remove an electron from a gaseous atom or ion.

Photoelectron Spectroscopy (PES)

A technique that uses high-energy photons to excite and eject electrons from an atom, measuring their kinetic energy and binding energy.

Coulomb's Law

Describes the electrostatic interaction between charged particles.

Spectroscopy

The study of the interaction between matter and electromagnetic radiation.

Electronegativity

A measure of the ability of an atom to attract electrons in a chemical bond.

Alloy

A mixture of metals in solid solution.

VSEPR Theory

A model used to predict the geometry of molecules based on minimizing electron pair repulsion around a central atom.

London Dispersion Forces (LDF)

Weak, short-range attractive forces between all atoms and molecules and results from instantaneous polarization of the electrons.

Dipole-Dipole Forces

Intermolecular forces that occur between polar molecules with permanent dipoles.

Hydrogen Bonding

A strong type of dipole-dipole attraction between molecules containing hydrogen bonded to a highly electronegative atom (F, O, N).

Intermolecular Forces (IMF)

Attractive forces between molecules.

Intramolecular Forces

Forces within the molecule that hold it together.

Chromatography

A separation technique based on the differential distribution of solutes between a stationary and a mobile phase.

Distillation

A separation technique based on differences in boiling points.

Kinetic Molecular Theory (KMT)

A model that describes the behavior of gases in terms of particles in constant, random motion.

Ideal Gas Law

PV=nRT, where P=pressure, V=volume, n=moles, R=ideal gas constant, T=temperature.

Molarity

The concentration of a solution expressed as moles of solute per liter of solution.

Beer-Lambert Law

A = abc where A=absorbance, a = molar absorptivity, b= path length, c= concentration. Used to measure concentration of colored solutions

Titration

A technique used to determine the concentration of a solution by reacting it with a solution of known concentration.

Redox Reaction

A chemical reaction involving the transfer of electrons.

Oxidation

The loss of electrons.

Reduction

The gain of electrons.

Redox Titration

A titration in which a redox reaction is used to determine the concentration of an analyte.

Collision Theory

States that reactants must collide in the correct orientation and with enough energy for the molecules to react; changing the number of collisions will affect the reaction rate

Rate Law

An expression that relates the rate of a reaction to the concentrations of the reactancts.

Half-life

The time required for the concentration of a reactant to decrease to half of its initial value.

Reaction Mechanism

A series of elementary steps that describe the pathway of a chemical reaction.

Catalyst

A substance that speeds up a chemical reaction without being consumed in the reaction.

Thermochemistry

The study of the heat changes that accompany chemical reactions and physical processes.

Endothermic

A process that absorbs heat from the surroundings.

Exothermic

A process that releases heat to the surroundings.

Specific Heat Capacity

The amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1 degree Celsius or Kelvin.

1st Law of Thermodynamics

Energy is conserved (can be converted from one form to another, but cannot be created or destroyed).

Bond Energy

The energy needed to break a bond.

Calorimetry

An experimental technique used to determine the heat transferred in a chemical system.

Chemical Equilibrium

A state where the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal.

Equilibrium Constant (K)

Indicates whether the reactants or products are more favored at equilibrium (where Q=K).

Reaction Quotient (Q)

A measure of the relative amounts of reactants and products present in a reaction at any given time.

Le Chatelier's Principle

When stress is applied to a system at equilibrium, the equilibrium shifts to relieve the stress.

Common Ion Effect

The decrease in solubility of a salt when a soluble compound containing a common ion is added to the solution.

Bronsted-Lowry Acid

A proton (H+) donor.

Bronsted-Lowry Base

A proton (H+) acceptor.

Amphoteric

A substance that can act as both an acid and a base.

Buffer Solution

A solution that resists changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added.

Acid Dissociation Constant (Ka)

The equilibrium constant for the dissociation of a weak acid.

Salt Hydrolysis

A reaction in which one of the ions from a salt reacts with water to form either an acidic or a basic solution.

Entropy (S)

A measure of the disorder or randomness of a system.

Gibbs Free Energy (G)

G=H-TS: A thermodynamic potential that measures the amount of energy available in a chemical or physical system to do useful work at a constant temperature and pressure.

Galvanic Cell

An electrochemical cell that converts chemical energy into electrical energy.