CH 1: Matter & Measurements Flashcards
Scientific law
A brief statement or equation that summarizes past observations and predicts future ones.
Used to describe how nature behaves.
Law of Conservation of Mass
“In a chemical reaction, matter is neither created nor destroyed.”
Theory
A proposed explanation for observations and laws, based on well-established and tested hypotheses, that presents a model for the way nature is and tries to show not merely what nature does but why.
Matter
Anything that occupies space and heat mass.
Substance
A specific instance of matter.
State
A classification of the physical form of matter, such as solid, liquid, or gas.
Composition
The basic components that make up a substance.
Crystalline
Matter whose atoms or molecules are in patterns with long-range, repeating order. ‘Unit cell’ repeats in three dimensions.
Distinct sharp melting points.
Ex. Table salt, diamonds.
Amorphous
Matter whose atoms or molecules do NOT have any long-range order.
Physical properties are the same in all directions.
Ex. Glass, plastics, gels.
Density
The ratio of an object’s mass (m) to its volume (v).
d = m/v
Volume
A measure of space. Any unit of length, when cubed, becomes a unit of volume.
Ex. m^3 = meter cubed
V = (edge length)^3
Length x width x height
