Chemical Foundations - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary-style flashcards covering key terms from Chemical Foundations. Each card defines a term helpful for quick review and exam prep.

Matter

Takes up space, has mass, exhibits inertia; composed of atoms.

Chemistry

The study of matter and energy and the changes between them.

Reversible reactions

Chemical reactions that can proceed in both forward and reverse directions.

Scientific Method

A planned sequence of steps for investigating phenomena; emphasizes repeatable experiments.

Theory

Hypotheses arranged to explain why something happened.

Model

A representation used to explain natural phenomena; revised when new evidence arises.

Robert Boyle

17th-century scientist known for air experiments and the vacuum pump.

Vacuum pump

Device used to create a low-pressure environment to study air behavior.

P1V1 = P2V2

Boyle’s Law: for a gas at constant temperature, pressure and volume are inversely related.

Element

Substance that cannot be broken down into simpler substances.

Law

A concise statement of observed behavior; contrasts with a theory that explains why.

Law of Conservation of Mass

Mass of reactants equals mass of products in a chemical reaction.

Law of Conservation of Energy

Energy cannot be created or destroyed; it only changes form (First Law of Thermodynamics).

SI system

International System of Units derived from the metric system for scientific measurements.

Liter (L) / dm^3

1 dm^3 = 1 L; 1 L = 1000 cm^3; 1 m^3 = 1000 L.

Mass

Amount of matter in an object; measured in grams or kilograms.

Weight

A force due to gravity; on Earth often treated as mass times gravity.

Newton

SI unit of force.

Gravitational field

Field around a mass that causes gravitational attraction; strength depends on mass.

Precision

Reproducibility or agreement among repeated measurements.

Accuracy

Correctness; agreement of a measurement with the true value.

Random error

Errors with equal probability of being high or low; unpredictable.

Systematic error

Consistent error in the same direction across measurements.

Significant figures

Digits that carry meaning about precision in a measurement.

Multiplication/Division rule (sig figs)

Result has as many sig figs as the factor with the least sig figs.

Addition/Subtraction rule (sig figs)

Result has as many decimal places as the term with the fewest decimals.

Volume

Amount of space occupied; derived from length; 1 m^3 = 1000 L.

Temperature scales

Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin scales used to measure temperature.

0°C = 273.15 K

Relation between Celsius and Kelvin scales.

1 inch = 2.54 cm

Exact conversion factor between inches and centimeters.

Density

Mass per unit volume (density = mass/volume).

States of matter

Solid, liquid, and gas with distinct properties.

Solid

Definite shape and volume; particles vibrate in fixed positions.

Liquid

Definite volume, indefinite shape; particles flow past one another.

Gas

No definite volume or shape; particles are far apart and highly compressible.

Vapor

Gas phase of a substance that is normally a solid or liquid at room temperature.

Mixture

Matter composed of two or more substances that can be separated physically.

Homogeneous

Mixed uniformly; components are not visibly distinguishable.

Heterogeneous

Mixtures with visibly different parts or phases.

Filtration

Separation by particle size using a filter.

Distillation

Separation based on differences in boiling points.

Chromatography

Separation based on differing affinities to a stationary phase.

Paper chromatography

Chromatography using paper as the stationary phase to separate components.

Pure substance

Matter with a fixed composition; can be an element or a compound.

Compound

Pure substance formed from two or more elements in fixed ratios; decomposes chemically.

Electrolysis

Chemical change that decomposes compounds into elements using electricity.

Atom

Smallest unit of an element that retains its properties; consists of nucleus and electrons.

Nucleus

Center of the atom containing protons and neutrons.

Proton

Positively charged subatomic particle in the nucleus.

Neutron

Electrically neutral subatomic particle in the nucleus.

Electron

Negatively charged subatomic particle orbiting the nucleus.

Quark

Fundamental constituent of protons and neutrons.