C2.1 Purity and separating mixtures Flashcards
What is relative atomic mass?
the mean mass of an atom of an element compared to 1/12 of the mass of a carbon-12 atom
What does a chemical formula tell you?
how many atoms of each element there are in a unit of a substance
What is a relative formula mass?
the mean mass of a unit of substance compared to 1/12 of the mass of a carbon-12 atom
define empirical formula
the simplest whole number ratio of the atoms of each element in a compound
Calculate the relative formula mass of Mg(OH)2
Mg = 24.3, O = 16.0, H = 1.0
M(r) of Mg(OH)2 = 58.3
How do you find the empirical formula of a chemical formula?
Divide the chemical formula by the highest common factor
What does pure mean in scientific terminology?
a substance consisting of just one element or compound
is water pure?
no, because it contains multiple minerals, distilled water is pure, however
What is an example of a helpful mixture?
Alloys (a mixture of a metal with one of more other elements)
What is the melting point of a substance?
The temperature at which it changes from the solid state to the liquid state
How many melting points does a pure substance have?
Only one
How many melting points does an impure substance have?
Multiple, however many elements there are in the compound
How can you tell a substance is impure looking at its melting point?
- it’s melting point is less than of the pure substance
- it often melts over a range of temperatures, not just one temperature
Does the temperature of a pure substance change while it melts?
No, it stays constant
How must you heat a substance to find out its melting point and why?
- slowly
- stirring it
So that the temperature of the whole sample can increase, not just the surface
Why should you stir a substance while it melts?
To ensure that the entire sample is at the same temperature
What does chromatography separate?
mixtures of soluble substances
what happens when a substance dissolves?
- a solution forms
- the solute’s particles separate and become completely mixed with the solvent’s particles