Chemical Names and Symbols: A New Language

These flashcards cover key concepts related to chemical names, symbols, and their meanings in chemistry.

Element

A unique substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances through chemical processes.

Compound

A pure substance that is a chemical combination of two or more elements in a fixed ratio.

Aqueous

A substance is aqueous when it is dissolved in water.

Chemical formula

A combination of symbols and subscripts that indicates the number and types of elements in a compound.

Phase

The physical form a substance is in, such as solid, liquid, or gas.

Chemical symbols

Represent the elements, each element has either a one- or two-letter symbol, with the first letter always uppercase and the second letter always lowercase.

Physical form indicators

The symbols (s), (l), (g), and (aq) indicate the physical form or phase of a substance.

Subscript

A number in a chemical formula that indicates the number of atoms of the preceding element.