Inorganic Chemistry

Atom

The smallest subdivision of an element that can participate in a chemical reaction

Atomic nucleus

The dense central part of an atom containing protons and neutrons

Nucleons

The particles found in the nucleus: protons and neutrons

Proton

A positively charged subatomic particle with a mass of approximately 1 amu

Neutron

A subatomic particle with no electrical charge and a mass of approximately 1 amu

Electron

A negatively charged particle located outside the nucleus.

Atomic mass unit (amu)

A unit of mass used for atoms; approximately 1.66×10−27 kg

Atomic weight (A)

Approximately the total number of protons and neutrons in an atom

Atomic number (Z)

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. It determines the element

Element

A substance that cannot be decomposed into simpler substances through ordinary chemical reactions

Isotope

Atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons

Chemical compound

A substance made from two or more different atoms chemically bonded together

Molecule

The smallest subdivision of an element or compound that can exist naturally

Group

A vertical column of the periodic table. Elements in the same group generally have similar chemical properties

Period

A horizontal row of the periodic table

non metals/ metals on periodic table

Identify Alkali Metals

Group 1

identify alkaline earth metals

Group 2

identify transitional metals

groups 3-12

identify the boron family

group 13

identify the carbon groups

group 14

identify the nitrogen family

group 15: pnitogens

identify the oxygen family

group 16: chalcogens

identify group 17 elements

halogens

identify group 18

noble gases

label the 11 families on the periodic table

Electronegativity

A measure of an atom's ability to attract electrons toward itself in a chemical bond

Electronegativity trend

Electronegativity generally increases toward the upper-right of the periodic table and decreases going down a group

Metallic character

The tendency of an element to exhibit metallic properties. It generally increases down a group and toward the left of the periodic table.

Ion

An atom or group of atoms with a net electrical charge due to gaining or losing electrons

Electron affinity

The tendency of an atom to attract or accept electrons

Ionization energy

The energy required to remove an electron from an atom

Valence electrons

Electrons in the outermost shell of an atom that are primarily involved in chemical bonding

Anion

A negatively charged ion formed when an atom gains electrons

Cation

A positively charged ion formed when an atom loses electrons

Oxidation

The loss of electrons or an increase in oxidation state

Reduction

The gain of electrons or a decrease in oxidation state

Anode

The electrode where oxidation occurs

Cathode

The electrode where reduction occurs

Stable electron configuration

An electron arrangement that is energetically stable, commonly associated with a filled outer shell

Chemical bond

An attractive force that holds atoms or ions together

Ionic bond

A bond dominated by electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions following electron transfer

Electron transfer

The movement of one or more electrons from one atom to another, characteristic of ionic bonding

Covalent bond

A bond in which atoms predominantly share electrons

Nonpolar covalent bond

A covalent bond in which electrons are shared equally, typically between identical atoms

Polar covalent bond

A covalent bond in which electrons are shared unequally because the atoms have different electronegativities

Electrostatic attraction

The attractive force between opposite electrical charges

Ionic vs. covalent bonding

Bonds with an electronegativity difference of approximately 1.7 or greater are predominantly ionic; differences below approximately 1.7 are predominantly covalent

Diatomic molecule

A molecule consisting of two atoms of the same element, such as H₂, O₂, N₂, or Cl₂

Oxidation number

An assigned electrical charge that represents the charge an atom would have if all bonds were treated as ionic

Oxidation state

Another name for oxidation number

Oxidation number of a free element

The oxidation number of an element in its elementary/free state is zero

Oxidation number of a monoatomic ion

Equal to the actual charge of the ion

Oxidation number of a neutral compound

The oxidation numbers of all atoms must add up to zero

Oxidation number of fluorine

Usually −1 because fluorine is the most electronegative element

Oxidation state increase

Indicates oxidation/electron loss

Oxidation state decrease

Indicates reduction/electron gain

Binary compound

A compound containing two different elements

Ternary compound

A compound containing three different elements

Formula weight

The sum of the atomic weights represented by a chemical formula

Molecular weight

The sum of the atomic weights of all atoms in a molecule

Ferrous

Indicates the lower oxidation state of iron, commonly Fe(II)

Ferric

Indicates the higher oxidation state of iron, commonly Fe(III)

Binary acid

An acid containing hydrogen and one nonmetal; its name typically begins with “hydro-” and ends in “-ic.”

Ternary acid / oxyacid

An acid generally containing hydrogen, a nonmetal, and oxygen

Law of definite proportions

A pure compound always contains the same elements combined in the same definite proportions by mass

Law of multiple proportions

When two elements form multiple compounds, the masses of the elements combine in ratios of small whole numbers

Empirical vs. molecular formula

The empirical formula gives the simplest ratio, while the molecular formula gives the actual number of atoms

Direct combination / synthesis

A reaction in which two or more substances combine to form a single compound

Decomposition / analysis

A reaction in which a compound breaks down into simpler substances

Single displacement

A reaction in which one element replaces another element in a compound

Double displacement

A reaction in which two compounds exchange components to form two new compounds

Parallel/competing reactions

Reactions that use the same reactants but produce different products

Homogeneous reaction

A reaction in which all reactants and products are in the same phase

Heterogeneous reaction

A reaction involving substances in different phases

Catalyst

A substance that increases the rate of a reaction without undergoing permanent chemical change

Activation energy

The minimum energy required for a chemical reaction to occur

Catalytic reaction

A reaction that occurs in the presence of a catalyst

Biocatalytic reaction

A catalytic reaction involving a biological catalyst

Enzymatic reaction

A biocatalytic reaction in which the catalyst is a protein enzyme

Substrate

A reactant involved in an enzymatic reaction

Stoichiometric reaction

A reaction in which reactants are present in exactly the amounts required by the balanced equation

nonstoichiometric reaction

A reaction in which one or more reactants are intentionally present in excess

Limiting reactant

The reactant that is consumed first and therefore limits the amount of product that can form.

Excess reactant

A reactant supplied in an amount greater than theoretically required

Theoretical yield

The maximum amount of product that could be produced if the reaction goes to completion

Actual yield

The amount of product actually obtained from the reaction

Redox reaction

A reaction involving both oxidation and reduction

Oxidation

Loss of electrons and an increase in oxidation number

Reduction

Gain of electrons and a decrease in oxidation number

Oxidizing agent

A substance that causes another substance to be oxidized; the oxidizing agent itself is reduced

Reducing agent

A substance that causes another substance to be reduced; the reducing agent itself is oxidized

Electron balance in redox reactions

The number of electrons lost during oxidation must equal the number of electrons gained during reduction

Chemical equilibrium

The state in a reversible reaction where the forward and reverse reaction rates are equal

Dynamic equilibrium

An equilibrium in which forward and reverse reactions continue occurring at equal rates

Le Chatelier's Principle

When an equilibrium system is disturbed, it shifts in a direction that tends to reduce the imposed disturbance

Equilibrium constant, K

A quantity representing the ratio of products to reactants at equilibrium according to the law of mass actio

Law of mass action

The reaction behavior/rate is related to the concentrations of the reacting species

According to Le Chatelier's Principle increased temperature…

Equilibrium shifts in the direction that absorbs heat.

According to Le Chatelier's Principle decreased temperature…

Equilibrium shifts in the direction that releases heat.