CHEM 1311 – Final Exam Review Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key concepts, definitions, and terms listed on the CHEM 1311 final exam review sheet.

States of Matter

The physical forms in which all matter naturally exists—solid, liquid, gas (and sometimes plasma).

Mixture

A physical blend of two or more substances in which each retains its own identity and properties.

Solution

A homogeneous mixture composed of a solute dissolved uniformly in a solvent.

Density

Mass per unit volume of a substance, typically expressed in g / mL or g / cm³.

Precision

The closeness of a series of measurements to one another.

Accuracy

The closeness of a measured value to the true or accepted value.

Significant Figures

Digits in a measurement that are known with certainty plus one estimated digit, reflecting measurement precision.

Scientific Notation

A method of expressing numbers as a coefficient between 1 and 10 multiplied by a power of 10.

Dimensional Analysis

A problem-solving technique that uses conversion factors to move from one unit to another.

Polyatomic Ion

A charged species composed of two or more covalently bonded atoms acting as a single ion.

Phosphate

The polyatomic ion PO₄³⁻.

Sulfate

The polyatomic ion SO₄²⁻.

Ammonium

The polyatomic cation NH₄⁺.

Ionic Compound

A chemical compound composed of cations and anions held together by ionic bonds; overall electrically neutral.

Covalent Compound

A compound in which atoms share electrons, forming molecules held together by covalent bonds.

Acid (Arrhenius)

A substance that produces H⁺ (or H₃O⁺) ions in aqueous solution.

Binary Ionic Compound

An ionic compound consisting of exactly two different elements (e.g., NaCl).

Empirical Formula

The simplest whole-number ratio of atoms of each element in a compound.

Molecular Formula

The actual number of atoms of each element in one molecule of a compound.

Oxidation State

An apparent charge assigned to an atom based on electron bookkeeping in compounds or ions.

Limiting Reagent

The reactant that is completely consumed first, limiting the amount of product formed.

% Yield

The ratio of actual yield to theoretical yield, expressed as a percentage.

% Composition

The mass percent of each element in a compound.

Stoichiometry

The quantitative relationship between reactants and products in a balanced chemical reaction.

Balancing Equations

Adjusting coefficients to ensure equal numbers of each type of atom on both sides of a chemical equation.

Acid–Base Reaction

A reaction in which an acid donates a proton (H⁺) to a base.

Redox Reaction

A reaction involving electron transfer, where oxidation and reduction occur simultaneously.

Combustion Reaction

A reaction in which a substance reacts rapidly with O₂, releasing energy and often producing CO₂ and H₂O.

Net Ionic Equation

A chemical equation showing only the species actually involved in the reaction, omitting spectator ions.

Molarity (M)

Concentration unit defined as moles of solute per liter of solution (mol / L).

Ion Concentration in Solution

The molarity of individual ions produced when an ionic compound dissolves (e.g., 2 M CaCl₂ → 4 M Cl⁻).

Titration

An analytical method in which a solution of known concentration is used to determine the concentration of an unknown.

Dilution

Preparing a less concentrated solution from a more concentrated one by adding solvent; obeys M₁V₁ = M₂V₂.

Conversion Factor

A ratio of equivalent measurements used to convert from one unit to another (e.g., 1 in = 2.54 cm).

Atoms-to-Mass Conversion

Using Avogadro’s number and molar mass to relate the number of atoms to a sample’s mass.

Grams-to-Moles Conversion

Dividing mass (g) by molar mass (g / mol) to obtain moles of a substance.