Particle Motion and Energy in Chemistry

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts regarding particle motion, energy types, the relationship between temperature and pressure, gas laws, and broader implications in chemistry and environmental science.

Diffusion

The tendency of particles to move from areas of high concentration to areas of low concentration.

Kinetic Energy

Energy of motion; essential for particle movement and defined by the formula 1/2 mv², where m is mass and v is velocity.

Potential Energy

Energy stored due to position.

Thermal Energy

The total kinetic energy of the particles in a substance, influenced by temperature.

Boyle's Law

States that pressure of a gas is inversely proportional to its volume when temperature is held constant.

Gas Pressure

Pressure is defined as force per unit area, caused by collisions of gas particles against a surface.

Suction

A term often misused; occurs when there are differences in pressure across a space.

Atmospheric Pressure

The weight and collisions of gas particles in the atmosphere measured in units like mmHg, torr, kPa, and psi.

Thermometer

A device that measures temperature based on the movement and collisions of particles in the liquid it contains.

Evaporation

The process by which particles escape from a liquid phase to enter the gas phase.

Condensation

The process by which gas particles turn into a liquid.

Expansion and Contraction

Alterations in volume of substances based on temperature changes; substances expand when heated and contract when cooled.

Kinetic Molecular Theory (KMT)

A theory that explains the behavior of gases in terms of particles moving in straight lines until they collide.

Temperature

A measure related to the average kinetic energy of particles.

Scuba Diving

The practice that requires understanding pressure changes in gases and their effects on the body, particularly concerning nitrogen absorption.

Barometer

An instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure, indicating weather changes.

Straw Mechanism

The principle explaining how pressure differences allow liquid to be drawn up into a straw.

Decompression Sickness

A condition that occurs when nitrogen bubbles form in the bloodstream due to rapid ascent after deep-water dives.

Density

The mass per unit volume of a substance, typically affected by temperature changes.

Temperature and Volume Relationship

As temperature increases, volume also tends to increase when pressure is held constant.

Climate Change

Long-term alteration in temperature and typical weather patterns in a place related to CO2 levels.