Chem 1062 Final

Phase Change

The transition of matter from one state (solid, liquid, gas) to another.

Intermolecular Forces

Forces that occur between molecules, such as hydrogen bonds, dipole-dipole interactions, and London dispersion forces.

Entropy Change (ΔStotal)

A measure of the disorder or randomness in a system, influencing the direction of phase changes.

Gibbs Energy Change (ΔG)

A thermodynamic potential that predicts the favorability of a process, incorporating both enthalpy and entropy.

Specific Heat Capacity

The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius.

Maxwell-Boltzmann Distribution

A statistical distribution of the speeds of particles in a gas, illustrating variations in kinetic energy.

Hydrogen Bonding

A strong type of intermolecular force that occurs when hydrogen is bonded to electronegative atoms like oxygen, leading to unique properties in substances like water.

Endothermic

A process that absorbs heat, resulting in a positive heat change (ΔH).

Exothermic

A process that releases heat, resulting in a negative heat change (ΔH).

Calorimetry

A technique used to measure the heat changes associated with chemical reactions or physical changes.

Homogeneous Mixture

A mixture where components are uniformly distributed, such as solutions.

Amphipathic Molecules

Molecules that have both polar (hydrophilic) and nonpolar (hydrophobic) regions, often forming larger structures such as micelles.

Solvation

The process of surrounding solute particles with solvent molecules during the formation of a solution.

Solubility

The ability of a substance to dissolve in a solvent at a given temperature and pressure.

Saturated Solution

A solution that has reached its maximum concentration of solute at a given temperature.

Supersaturated Solution

A solution that contains more solute than it can normally hold at a specific temperature.