Basic Concepts of Matter and Chemical Properties

These flashcards cover fundamental concepts related to matter, elements, compounds, mixtures, and their properties, important for understanding basic chemistry.

Matter

Anything that has mass and occupies space.

Mass

The quantity of matter an object has.

Weight

The amount of gravity pulling on a mass.

Element

The simplest form of matter; a pure substance that cannot be separated into simpler substances.

Atom

The smallest particle of an element that retains the characteristics and identity of that element.

Compound

A pure substance that consists of two or more elements.

Molecule

The fundamental unit of a compound; the minimum unit that preserves the identity and characteristics of that compound.

Molecular formula

A way to express the composition of a molecule, indicating the type and number of each atom present.

Heterogeneous mixture

A mixture where the composition and properties vary spatially.

Homogeneous mixture

A mixture that has a uniform composition and properties throughout.

Solution

A type of homogeneous mixture where the solvent is present in larger amounts than the solute.

Intensive property

Physical properties that do not depend on the amount of material (e.g., density, color).

Extensive property

Physical properties that depend on the amount of material (e.g., mass, volume).

Physical process

A process that does not change the chemical identity of a substance.

Chemical property

A characteristic or behavior of a substance related to a change in composition or chemical identity.

Chemical process (Chemical Reaction)

A process that changes the composition or chemical identity of the substance(s) involved.

Phase

A state of matter (solid, liquid, gas, or plasma).

Phase transformation

A change in the state of matter due to changes in temperature or pressure.

Law of Definite Proportions

When two elements combine to form a compound, the proportion of components is always the same.

Law of Constant Composition

The mass percent composition of a compound is constant, regardless of the sample size.