General Chemistry I (CHEM 1113) Lecture Notes

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts from the General Chemistry I lecture notes, essential for exam preparation.

Chemistry

Study of composition, properties, and interactions of matter.

Matter

Anything that takes up space and has mass.

Atom

The smallest particle of an element with the properties of that element.

Element

A pure substance made of one type of atom; cannot be broken down into simpler substances.

Compound

A substance made of two or more different kinds of elements chemically bonded.

Homogeneous Mixture

A mixture with a uniform composition that appears visually the same throughout.

Heterogeneous Mixture

A mixture with a non-uniform composition that varies from point to point.

Significant Figures

Digits in a measurement that carry meaning contributing to its precision.

Precision

How repeatable measurements are.

Accuracy

How close a measurement is to the true value.

Scientific Method

A systematic approach to understanding the world through observation and experimentation.

Hypothesis

A tentative explanation of observations.

Theory

A well-substantiated explanation of an aspect of the natural world.

Law

A statement that describes what happens in nature under certain conditions.

Mass

The amount of matter in an object.

Weight

The force that gravity exerts on an object.

Density

Mass per unit volume of a substance.

SI Units

International System of Units used for measurements.

Unit Conversion

A process of converting one unit of measure to another.

Plasma

A charged gas with unique properties, found in stars and lightning.

Measurement

A quantitative description that includes a number and a unit.

Physical Change

A change that does not alter the chemical composition of a substance.

Chemical Change

A change that results in the formation of new chemical substances.

Extensive Property

A property that depends on the amount of matter.

Intensive Property

A property that does not depend on the amount of matter.