SAAT Preparation Course Chemistry

These flashcards cover key concepts in Chemistry from the SAAT Preparation Course.

What is Chemistry?

The field of science that deals with the study of matter, substances that constitute it, their properties, and the reactions they undergo to form new substances.

Organic Chemistry

The study of carbon-based compounds, especially those containing C–H bonds.

Inorganic Chemistry

The study of non-carbon compounds, including metals, salts, minerals, and acids/bases.

Physical Chemistry

The study of how matter behaves using energy, thermodynamics, and kinetics.

Safety Rules in the Laboratory

Wear a laboratory coat, safety goggles, gloves, and avoid wearing contact lenses.

Ozone

A gas (O₃) that exists in the stratosphere, shielding the Earth from harmful UV rays.

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Compounds that have been linked to the thinning of the ozone layer.

Endothermic Reaction

A reaction that absorbs energy from the surroundings, e.g., melting and evaporation.

Exothermic Reaction

A reaction that releases energy to the surroundings, e.g., freezing and condensation.

Concentration of a Solution

The amount of solute present in a specific amount of solution or solvent.

Molarity (M)

The number of moles of solute per liter of solution.

Colligative Properties

Properties of solutions that depend on the number of solute particles present.

Reaction Rate

The speed at which reactants are consumed or products are formed in a chemical reaction.

Chemical Equilibrium

The state where the rates of the forward and reverse reactions are equal, and concentrations of reactants and products remain constant.

Ionic Bond

The electrostatic force between oppositely charged ions in a compound.

Covalent Bond

A chemical bond that results from sharing valence electrons between atoms.

Hydroxyl Group (–OH)

A functional group found in alcohols.

Functional Group

A specific group of atoms within a molecule that is responsible for a characteristic of that compound.

Alkane

A saturated hydrocarbon with single bonds only.

Alkene

A hydrocarbon that contains at least one double bond between carbon atoms.

Alkyne

A hydrocarbon that contains at least one triple bond between carbon atoms.

Amino Acids

Organic compounds that serve as the building blocks of proteins.

Nucleotides

The building blocks of nucleic acids, such as DNA and RNA.

Catalyst

A substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without being consumed.

Carbonyl Group (C=O)

A functional group present in aldehydes and ketones.

Hydration

The addition of water to an alkene during an addition reaction.

Self-Ionization of Water

The reaction in which water molecules ionize to produce hydrogen ions (H⁺) and hydroxide ions (OH⁻).

Electrolysis

The process that uses electrical energy to drive a nonspontaneous chemical reaction.

Oxidation Number

The charge of an atom in a compound, indicating its degree of oxidation or reduction.

Titration

A quantitative analytical method used to determine the concentration of an identified analyte.

Buffer Solutions

Solutions that resist changes in pH when small amounts of acid or base are added.

Biomolecules

Molecules that are essential for life, including carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids.

Diffusion

The movement of particles from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration.

Effusion

The passage of gas particles through a tiny opening without collisions.

Graham’s Law

States that the rate of diffusion of a gas is inversely proportional to the square root of its molar mass.

Acid

A substance that donates hydrogen ions (H⁺) in an aqueous solution.

Base

A substance that accepts hydrogen ions (H⁺) or produces hydroxide ions (OH⁻) in solution.

Spontaneous Reaction

A reaction that occurs without needing to be driven by an external force.

Stoichiometry

The calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions.

Electrolyte

A substance that creates an electrically conducting solution when dissolved.

Metallic Bond

A bond formed by the attraction between positively charged metal ions and delocalized electrons.

Crystalline Solid

A solid with a highly ordered structure, characterized by a repeating pattern of atoms.

Amide

A compound derived from a carboxylic acid in which the hydroxyl group is replaced by an amino group.

Alkyl Halides

Organic compounds that contain a halogen atom is bonded to an alkyl group.

Synthetic Polymers

Polymers formed through chemical reactions, typically involving addition or condensation.

Periodic Law

The principle that the properties of the elements are periodic functions of their atomic numbers.

Atomic Number

The number of protons in the nucleus of an atom, determining its chemical properties.

Electronegativity

The tendency of an atom to attract a bonding pair of electrons.

Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Alcohols

Classification of alcohols based on the number of carbon atoms bonded to the carbon bearing the hydroxyl group.

Hydrogen Bond

A weak bond formed between two molecules when a hydrogen atom covalently bonded to an electronegative atom experiences attraction to another electronegative atom.