Chemistry Basics and Nuclear Chemistry

These flashcards focus on key terms and definitions from the lecture on chemistry basics and nuclear chemistry.

Chemistry

The study of matter and energy.

Phases of matter

Solid, liquid, and gas.

Atom

The smallest unit of an element.

Element

One kind of atom.

Compound

Two or more elements chemically bonded.

Mixture

Elements or compounds not chemically bonded.

Homogeneous mixture

A mixture that has a uniform composition.

Heterogeneous mixture

A mixture that does not have a uniform composition.

Scientific Method

A systematic approach consisting of observation, hypothesis, experiment, and theory.

Extensive properties

Properties that depend on the amount of substance, such as mass and volume.

Intensive properties

Properties that do not depend on the amount of substance, such as density and temperature.

Density

Mass per unit volume, calculated as D = M / V.

Significant Figures

Digits in a measurement that carry meaningful information about its precision.

Metric System

A system of measurement used globally, including base units like meter, liter, and gram.

Ionic compound

A compound consisting of a metal and a nonmetal.

Covalent compound

A compound consisting of nonmetals only.

Polyatomic ion

An ion composed of two or more atoms bonded together.

Balancing nuclear equations

Ensuring the top and bottom numbers match in a nuclear reaction.

Half-life

The time required for half of a sample to decay.

Fission

The process of splitting atoms to release energy.

Fusion

The process that powers the sun, involving the merging of atoms.

Alpha decay

A type of decay that loses 2 protons and 2 neutrons.

Gamma decay

A type of decay that involves the release of energy only.

Beta decay

A decay process where a neutron is transformed into a proton.

Positron emission

A decay process where a proton is transformed into a neutron.