Chemistry Chapter 1: Essential Ideas — Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from Chemistry Chapter 1 notes.

Stone Age

Early period where shaping materials involved physical changes rather than chemical reactions.

Bronze Age

Period characterized by smelting metals and advancing metallurgy.

Iron Age

Period with improved smelting methods and metal production.

Alchemy

Mystical tradition that contributed apparatus and distillation techniques to early chemistry.

Modern Chemistry

Science of matter and its transformations, developed through experiments (Boyle) and principles like mass conservation (Lavoisier) and atomic theory (Dalton).

Robert Boyle

Pioneer of an experimental, inquiry-based approach to chemistry.

Antoine Lavoisier

Proposed the conservation of mass: mass is neither created nor destroyed in reactions.

John Dalton

Proposed the atomic theory: matter is composed of atoms that form compounds.

Macroscopic domain

Chemistry observed with the naked eye; bulk properties and processes.

Microscopic domain

Atomic and molecular level phenomena; structures not visible directly.

Symbolic domain

Use of formulas and equations to describe chemical systems.

Scientific Method

Systematic process: observation, hypothesis, experiment, results, leading to laws or theories.

Observation

Careful noticing and recording of phenomena.

Hypothesis

Testable, educated guess about how something works.

Experiment

Controlled test to test predictions derived from a hypothesis.

Results

Data and findings obtained from experiments.

Law (scientific)

Concise statement describing a consistently observed natural phenomenon.

Theory (scientific)

Well-supported explanation that accounts for a broad set of observations and laws.

Solids

State of matter with definite shape and volume.

Liquids

State with definite volume but shape conforms to container.

Gases

State with no fixed shape or volume; expands to fill space.

Plasma

Ionized gas containing charged particles.

Mass

Amount of matter in an object; does not depend on gravity.

Weight

Gravitational force acting on mass.

Law of Conservation of Matter

Matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical process.

Element

Pure substance consisting of a single type of atom.

Compound

Pure substance formed by two or more elements chemically bonded.

Mixture

Matter composed of two or more substances not chemically bonded.

Homogeneous

Mixture with uniform composition throughout.

Heterogeneous

Mixture with non-uniform composition; components are distinguishable.

Atom

Smallest unit of an element that retains its properties.

Molecule

Two or more atoms bonded together; smallest unit of a compound or element.

Physical property

Characteristic observed or measured without changing composition (color, density, melting point).

Physical change

Change in matter that does not alter composition (melting, dissolving, grinding).

Chemical property

Characteristic describing how a substance interacts or reacts (flammability, toxicity, reactivity).

Chemical change

Change that produces new substances (rusting, burning, rotting).

Extensive property

Property that depends on amount (mass, volume).

Intensive property

Property that is independent of amount (density, color).

Measurement

Quantitative observation with a number, unit, and uncertainty.

SI Base Units

Seven base units: meter, kilogram, second, kelvin, mole, ampere, candela.

Volume

Derived unit for amount of space; commonly measured in L, mL, cm³.

Density

Mass per unit volume; d = m/V.

Temperature

Measure of hotness or coldness; typically in kelvin or Celsius.

Time

Duration; base unit is the second.

Meter

SI base unit of length.

Kilogram

SI base unit of mass.

Second

SI base unit of time.

Kelvin

SI base unit of temperature; 0 K is absolute zero.

Mole

SI base unit for amount of substance.

Ampere

SI base unit of electric current.

Candela

SI base unit of luminous intensity.

Temperature conversion: Kelvin from Celsius

K = °C + 273.15.

Temperature conversion: Fahrenheit from Celsius

°F = (9/5)°C + 32.

Temperature conversion: Celsius from Fahrenheit

°C = (5/9)(°F − 32).

Rounding rule

When rounding, digits ≥5 cause the previous digit to round up; <5 rounds down.

Significant figures

Significant digits in a measurement; rules govern which zeros and digits count as significant.

Dimensional analysis

Using conversion factors to convert units and cancel undesired units.

Conversion factor

A ratio expressing equivalence between two units used for unit conversion.

Fewest sig figs rule (multiplication/division)

Result has as many significant figures as the factor with the fewest sig figs.

Decimal places rule (addition/subtraction)

Result has as many decimal places as the quantity with the fewest decimal places.