Unit I Chemistry - Units, Prefixes & Significant Figures

These flashcards cover key concepts from Unit I on Chemistry, focusing on measurement, properties of matter, energy, and the fundamentals needed for a solid understanding of the subject.

Chemistry

The study of matter and its changes.

Metric Prefixes

Prefixes that denote orders of magnitude: nano (1 billionth), micro (1 millionth), milli (1 thousandth), centi (1 hundredth), kilo (1 thousand), mega (1 million), giga (1 billion).

Non-Characteristic Properties

Properties that depend on the amount of material and can change from sample to sample, such as mass and volume.

Characteristic Properties

Properties that are constant for a given substance and independent of sample size, used to identify substances.

Significant Figures

Digits in a measurement that show precision; the last digit is always estimated.

Density

A characteristic property calculated from measured data, defined as mass/volume.

Specific Gravity

The ratio of the density of a sample to the density of water; unitless.

Kinetic Molecular Theory (KMT)

Theory stating that all matter is made of particles that are in constant motion.

Kinetic Energy (KE)

The energy of motion, depending on mass and speed.

Potential Energy (PE)

Stored energy due to position or composition.

Temperature vs Heat

Temperature measures average kinetic energy, while heat is a form of kinetic energy transferred between hot and cold.