Basic Chemistry Flashcards
Matter
Matter is anything that occupies space and has a mass. It comes in three forms: solid, liquid, gas.
Mass
Mass is a measure of the amount of material in an object.
Element
Element is a substance that cannot be broken down to other substances by chemical reactions.
Trace elements
Elements that you cannot live without but are required in a really small amount.
Compound
Combined elements that make a new substance.
Atom
An atom is the smallest unit of matter that still retains the properties of an element. Composed of subatomic particles such as protons (+), electrons (-), neutrons (0).
Nucleus
Central cell core packed with protons and neutrons.
Atomic number
The number of protons in an atom determines the atomic number of the element.
Mass number
The sum of the number of protons and neutrons in an atom.
Atomic mass
Listed in the periodic table as the bottom number of the element. Sum of its protons and neutrons.
Isotopes
Isotopes of an element has the same amount of protons and behave identically in chemical reactions but have different amount of neutrons.
Ionic bonds
A chemical bond created by oppositely charged ions. (ionic compounds are known as salts).
Covalent bonds
Covalent bonds are created by atoms that share one or more pair of electrons.
Hydrogen bonds
Hydrogen bonds have an uneven distribution of charge that creates poles. Opposite charges attract and create these weak bonds.
Cohension
The attraction of molecules for other molecules of the same kind. Water has strong cohensive forces because of their hydrogen bonds.
Evaporating cooling
When a substance changes from liquid to gas.
Solution
A homogenous mixture consisting of two or more substances.
Solvent
The dissolving agent in a solution.
Solute
The substance that gets dissolved in a solution.
Aqueous solution
The solution is aqueous when water is the solvent.
Acid
Chemical compound that releases H+ in a solution is considered an acid.
Base
Chemical compund that accepts H+ ions and removes them from a solution. Sometimes by releasing OH- which combines with H+ to form H2O.
pH-scale
Scale that measures the H+ ion concentration in a solution. From 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most basic).
Buffer
A solution that can resist Ph-change upon the addition of acidic or basic components.
Functional groups
Functional groups are specific arrangements of atoms that determine their chemical behaviour. They give molecules distinct properties and reactivity. Examples: hydroxyl (-OH), carbonyl (C=O), and amino (-NH2) groups.
