Chemistry

1. Vocabulary: Know These Terms Inside-Out

• Acid: Substance that donates H⁺ (proton donor)

• Base: Substance that accepts H⁺ (proton acceptor)

• Bronsted-Lowry acid/base: Acid donates H⁺, base accepts H⁺

• Amphoteric: Substance that can act as acid or base (e.g., water)

• Monoprotic acid: Acid donating 1 H⁺ (e.g., HCl, HF)

• Diprotic acid: Acid donating 2 H⁺ (e.g., H₂SO₄)

• Triprotic acid: Acid donating 3 H⁺ (e.g., H₃PO₄)

• Calorie: Energy unit

• Catalyst: Speeds up reaction without being consumed

• Collision theory: Reactions occur when particles collide with enough energy and correct orientation

• Activation energy: Minimum energy for reaction to occur

• Endothermic: Reaction absorbs heat (+∆H)

• Exothermic: Reaction releases heat (–∆H)

• Equilibrium: Forward and reverse reaction rates equal; concentrations stay constant

• Equilibrium constant (Keq): Ratio of product concentrations to reactants at equilibrium

• LeChatelier’s Principle: System shifts to counteract stress (change in conc, temp, pressure)

• Molarity (M): Moles of solute per liter of solution

• Neutralization: Acid + base reaction producing water and salt

• pH: Measure of acidity, pH = –log[H⁺]

• pOH: Measure of basicity, pOH = –log[OH⁻]

• Rate law: Rate = k[A]^a[B]^b (reaction order = a + b)

• Reaction quotient (Q): Same formula as Keq but at any point, not just equilibrium

• Specific heat (c): Heat required to raise 1 g of substance by 1°C

• Surroundings/system: In thermochemistry, system is the reaction, surroundings are everything else