Comprehensive Chemistry Study Guide: Organic, Inorganic, Physical, and Analytical Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

Study of carbon-containing compounds.

Inorganic Chemistry

Study of non-carbon substances such as metals and salts.

Physical Chemistry

Study of energy, motion, and behavior of matter (chemistry + physics).

Analytical Chemistry

Identifying substances and determining their composition.

Biochemistry

Chemical processes in living organisms (DNA, proteins, enzymes).

Physical Properties

Observed without changing the substance.

Examples of Physical Properties

Color, mass, volume, density, melting point, boiling point, conductivity.

Chemical Properties

Describe how a substance reacts to form a new substance.

Examples of Chemical Properties

Flammability, rusting, reactivity, corrosion.

Physical Change

No new substance is formed.

Examples of Physical Changes

Melting, freezing, cutting, dissolving.

Chemical Change

A new substance is formed.

Examples of Chemical Changes

Burning, rusting, chemical reactions.

Solid

Particles tightly packed, vibrate in place, low energy, fixed shape & volume.

Liquid

Particles close together, slide past each other, medium energy, fixed volume, flexible shape.

Gas

Particles far apart, move freely, high energy, no fixed shape or volume.

Lowest Density

Gas.

Density Formula

Density = mass ÷ volume.

SI Unit for Length

meter (m).

SI Unit for Mass

kilogram (kg).

SI Unit for Time

second (s).

SI Unit for Volume

liter (L).

Significant Figures

Show the precision of a measurement.

Rules for Counting Sig Figs

All nonzero digits are significant; zeros between nonzero digits are significant; leading zeros are NOT significant; trailing zeros are significant only with a decimal.

Scientific Notation

Used to express very large or very small numbers.

Format of Scientific Notation

a × 10ⁿ where 1 ≤ a < 10.