Untitled Flashcards Set

Chemical Reactions

Processes where substances (reactants) transform into different substances (products).

Valency

The combining power of an element, indicating how many atoms of another element it can bond with.

Equations

Representations of chemical reactions showing reactants and products.

Physical Change

A change in the state or appearance of a substance without changing its chemical composition.

Chemical Change

A change that results in the formation of new substances with different chemical compositions.

Acids

Substances that release hydrogen ions (H⁺) in solutions.

Bases

Substances that release hydroxide ions (OH⁻) in solutions.

Neutralization

A reaction between an acid and a base that produces a salt and water.

Synthesis Reaction

A reaction where two or more substances combine to form a new compound.

Decomposition Reaction

A reaction where a compound breaks down into simpler substances.

Single Replacement Reaction

A reaction where one element replaces another in a compound.

Double Replacement Reaction

A reaction where two compounds exchange ions to form new compounds.

Combustion Reaction

A reaction where a substance combines with oxygen, releasing energy in the form of light or heat.

Balancing Chemical Equations

Ensuring the number of atoms on both sides of the equation is equal to obey the law of conservation of mass.

Reactants

Substances that take part in a chemical reaction.

Products

Substances that are formed as a result of a chemical reaction.

Cations

Positively charged ions formed when atoms lose electrons.

Anions

Negatively charged ions formed when atoms gain electrons.

Criss-Cross Rule

A method used to write chemical formulas for ionic compounds by crossing the valencies of ions.

Conservation of Mass

The principle stating that mass is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction.

Oxidation-Reduction Reactions

Reactions involving the transfer of electrons where one substance is oxidized and another is reduced.

pH Scale

A scale used to measure the acidity or basicity of a solution.

Catalysts

Substances that speed up chemical reactions without being consumed in the process.

Endothermic Reaction

A chemical reaction that absorbs heat from the surroundings.

Exothermic Reaction

A chemical reaction that releases heat to the surroundings.

Electrolyte

A substance that produces an electrically conducting solution when dissolved in water.

Organic Compounds

Compounds primarily made of carbon and hydrogen, often containing oxygen, nitrogen, sulfur, or phosphorus.

Inhibitors

Substances that slow down or prevent chemical reactions.

Fermentation

A metabolic process that converts sugar to acids, gases, or alcohol using microorganisms.

Photosynthesis

The process by which plants convert light energy into chemical energy in the form of glucose.

Hydrocarbon

Organic compounds composed entirely of hydrogen and carbon.

Chemical Energy

The energy stored in the chemical bonds of a substance.

Periodic Table

A tabular arrangement of elements organized by increasing atomic number.

Ionization Energy

The energy required to remove an electron from an atom or ion.

Electronegativity

The ability of an atom to attract electrons when forming a chemical bond.

Polyatomic Ions

Ions made up of two or more atoms that are covalently bonded.

Covalent Bonds

Chemical bonds formed when atoms share electrons.

Ionic Bonds

Chemical bonds formed through the transfer of electrons from one atom to another.

Molecule

A group of two or more atoms bonded together.

Empirical Formula

A formula that shows the simplest whole-number ratio of atoms in a compound.

Molar Mass

The mass of a given substance (chemical element or chemical compound) divided by the amount of substance.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons, thus different mass.

Chemical Kinetics

The study of the speeds of chemical reactions and the factors affecting them.

Le Chatelier’s Principle

A principle that states if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed, the system will respond to counteract the disturbance.

Rate of Reaction

The speed at which reactants are converted to products in a chemical reaction.

Reaction Mechanism

The step-by-step sequence of elementary reactions by which overall chemical change occurs.

Dynamic Equilibrium

The state in which the concentrations of reactants and products remain constant over time.

Chemical Bonds

Forces that hold atoms together in a compound.