AQA GCSE Chemistry Overview

Flashcards covering key concepts in AQA GCSE Chemistry, from atomic structure to chemical reactions.

Atom

The smallest part of an element that can exist, consisting of protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Element

A pure substance made of only one type of atom, cannot be broken down chemically.

Compound

A substance formed from two or more elements chemically combined in fixed proportions.

Mixture

A combination of two or more substances that are not chemically bonded together.

Ion

An atom or molecule that has gained or lost one or more electrons, resulting in a charge.

Proton

A subatomic particle with a positive charge, found in the nucleus of an atom.

Neutron

A subatomic particle with no charge, found in the nucleus of an atom.

Electron

A subatomic particle with a negative charge, found in orbitals surrounding an atom's nucleus.

Isotope

Atoms of the same element with different numbers of neutrons.

Chemical symbol

A one or two-letter notation used to represent an element on the periodic table.

Periodic table

A tabular arrangement of elements based on their atomic number, grouped by similar chemical properties.

Covalent bond

A type of chemical bond where two atoms share one or more pairs of electrons.

Ionic bond

A type of chemical bond formed through the electrostatic attraction between oppositely charged ions.

Metallic bond

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

Reactant

A substance that undergoes a chemical change in a reaction.

Product

A substance formed as a result of a chemical reaction.

Exothermic reaction

A reaction that releases energy in the form of heat.

Endothermic reaction

A reaction that absorbs energy from the surroundings.

Activation energy

The minimum amount of energy required to initiate a chemical reaction.

Titration

A technique used to determine the concentration of a solution by reacting it with a solution of known concentration.

Electrolysis

A process that uses an electric current to drive a non-spontaneous chemical reaction.

Mole

A unit of measurement used in chemistry to express amounts of a chemical substance.

Yield

The amount of product obtained in a chemical reaction.

Concentration

The measure of the amount of solute contained in a given volume of solution.

pH scale

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

Catalyst

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