General Chemistry: Matter, Atomic Theory, and Quantum Mechanics

Vocabulary review flashcards covering fundamental chemistry topics including classification of matter, atomic laws and subatomic particles, wave and particle properties of light, and quantum mechanical models of the atom.

Matter

Anything that has mass and takes up space.

Atoms

The basic particles that make up matter.

Molecules

Specific geometric arrangements of bonded atoms.

State of Matter

The positions of particles and how they interact with each other.

Composition of Matter

The specific particles that make up a substance.

Solid

A state of matter where particles are in fixed positions close together, vibrate against each other, and have a fixed volume and shape.

Liquid

A state of matter where particles are close together with weak attractive forces, allowing them to move alongside each other, maintaining a fixed volume while taking the shape of their container.

Gas

A state of matter where particles move freely across long distances before colliding, lacking a fixed volume or shape, and are compressible.

Pure Substance

A substance that only has one component and does not vary per sample.

Element

A substance that cannot be broken down into a simpler substance.

Compound

A substance made up of 1 or more elements in fixed proportions.

Mixture

A combination made up of 2 or more particles in proportions that vary per sample.

Homogeneous Mixture

A mixture that has a composition that is uniformly mixed and identical throughout.

Heterogeneous Mixture

A mixture in which the composition of two regions varies from one another.

Law of Conservation of Mass

The principle stating that during a chemical reaction, the mass of the reactants and products remain the same.

Law of Definite Proportions

The principle stating that regardless of source, a specific compound's composition and proportions of constituent elements always remain the same.

Law of Multiple Proportions

The principle stating that elements that make up compounds combine in small, whole-number ratios.

Nucleus

An extremely small and dense core of an atom that contains the majority of the atom's mass and positive charge.

Electron

A negatively charged subatomic particle present in all atoms with a mass so small that it is basically negligible.

Proton

A positively charged subatomic particle located in the nucleus of an atom.

Neutron

A charge-neutral subatomic particle located in the nucleus with a mass nearly identical to that of a proton.

Atomic Number ($Z$)

The total number of protons in the nucleus of an atom.

Mass Number ($A$)

The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in an atom.

Chemical Symbol

A one- or two-letter abbreviation of a chemical's name on the periodic table.

Isotopes

Atoms of a specific chemical that have the same number of protons, but a different number of neutrons.

Natural Abundance

The percentage of each naturally occurring isotope of an element.

Atomic Mass

An average mass calculated by adding the product of the mass of each naturally occurring isotope and its natural abundance.

Ions

Positively or negatively charged particles formed when an atom gains or loses electrons during chemical changes.

Anion

An ion with a negative charge formed when an atom gains an electron.

Cation

An ion with a positive charge formed when an atom loses an electron.

Light (Electromagnetic Radiation)

A type of energy composed of two perpendicular oscillating waves.

Wavelength

The distance between 2 adjacent crests/troughs or points on a wave.

Frequency

The number of cycles that pass through a stationary point on a wave in a given interval of time.

Amplitude

The height of a wave's crest or trough from its midline.

Interference

The phenomenon occurring when 2 waves interact to either build each other up or cancel each other out based on alignment.

Constructive Interference

Interaction between 2 waves in phase that results in a combined wave with an amplitude equal to the sum of the original waves.

Destructive Interference

Interaction between 2 waves out of phase where they cancel each other out.

Diffraction

A characteristic wave behavior where a wave bends as it encounters an obstacle or slit.

Photoelectric Effect

The observation that many metals lose an electron when light shines upon them.

Binding Energy

The minimum amount of energy required to remove an electron from a metal.

Photon

A specific, fixed packet or quantum of light energy whose amount depends upon its frequency.

Bohr Model

A model of hydrogen depicting electrons orbiting the nucleus at fixed distances and energies, emitting radiation only when jumping between energy states.

Emission Spectrum

A series of bright lines produced by separating released light from relaxing electrons into its constituent wavelengths.

Continuous Spectrum

A spectrum that displays an uninterrupted range of all light wavelengths.

De Broglie Relation

A equation relating the wavelength of an electron directly to its velocity and kinetic energy.

Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle

The principle stating that the more accurately an electron's position is known, the less accurately its velocity can be known.

Indeterminacy

The property stating that an electron's future location cannot be predicted deterministically because it will occupy a different spot every time under identical conditions.

Probability Distribution Map

A statistical map that shows where an electron is most likely to be found.

Probability Density

The probability per unit of volume of finding an electron at a specific point in space.

Radial Distribution Function

A function showing the probability of finding an electron within a thin shell at a given distance from the nucleus.

Node

A distance or location where the probability of finding an electron is 0 due to destructive interference of electron waves.

Radial Node

A type of node that occurs between energy levels of the same orbital type.

Angular Node

A node occurring between lobes of p- and d-orbitals, usually as a plane passing through the nucleus.