Key Concepts in Chemical Changes

These flashcards cover the fundamental concepts related to chemical changes, acids and bases, and electrolysis as presented in the lecture notes.

pH Scale

A measure of how acidic or basic a solution is.

Acid

A substance that forms aqueous solutions with a pH of less than 7 and produces H+ ions.

Base

A substance with a pH greater than 7 that neutralizes acids to produce salt and water.

Alkali

A base that dissolves in water and has a pH greater than 7.

Strong Acid

An acid that ionizes completely in water.

Weak Acid

An acid that does not fully ionize in a solution.

Reactivity Series

A list of metals in order of their reactivity based on how easily they lose electrons.

Oxidation

A reaction that involves the loss of electrons, commonly occurring when metals react with oxygen.

Reduction

A reaction that involves the gain of electrons, often described in conjunction with oxidation.

Electrolysis

The process of splitting up ionic compounds using electricity to obtain pure elements.

Cation

A positively charged ion that is attracted to the cathode in electrolysis.

Anion

A negatively charged ion that is attracted to the anode in electrolysis.

Neutralization Reaction

A reaction in which an acid reacts with a base to produce salt and water.

Half Equations

Equations that show the individual oxidation or reduction processes occurring in a redox reaction.

Indicators

Substances that change color to indicate whether a solution is acidic or basic.

Filtration

A method for separating solids from liquids by passing the mixture through a filter.