Chapter 1 - Chemical foundations Flashcards
measurement
a quantitative observation
what are the three fundamental steps to the Scientific Method
Make observations
formulate hypotheses
perform experiments
what are the necessary components of a measurement?
a number and a unit
how is uncertainty recorded in a measurement?
sig figs–all the certain figures plus the first uncertain one
hypothesis
one or more assumptions put forth to explain the observed behavior of nature
theory
a set of assumptions put forth to explain some aspect of the observed behavior of matter
model
a set of assumptions put forth to explain the observed behavior of matter (in chemistry, usu involve assumptions about the behavior about individual atoms or molecules)
natural law
a statement that expresses generally observed behavior
law of conservation of mass
mass is neither created or destroyed
law of conservation of energy
energy is neither created or destroyed
law of definite proportion
a given compound always contains exactly the same proportion of elements by mass
law of multiple proportions
when two elements form a series of ompounds, the ratios of the masses of the second element that combine with one g of the first element can always be reduced to small whole numbers
What are the 4 components of Dalton’s Theory of Atoms?
all elements are composed of atomons
all atoms of a given element are identical
chemical compounds are formed when atoms combine
atoms are not changed in chemical reactions, but the way they are bound together changes
atomic mass (atomic weight)
the weighted average mass of the atoms in a naturally occurring element (Dalton, first to make table of atomic masses)
Avogadro’s hypothesis
equal volume of gasses at same temp and pressure have an equal number of atoms
cathode-ray tubes
the “rays” emanating rom the negative electrode (cathode) in a partially evacuated tube; a stream of electrons
electrons
a negatively charged particle that moves around the nucleus of the atom, mass is 1/1840 of a proton
radioactivity
the spontaneous decomposition of a nucleus to form a different nucleus
nuclear atom
an atom having a dense center of positive charge (the nucleus) with electrons moving around the outside
nucleus
the small, dense center of positive charge in an atom
proton
a positively charged particle in an atomic nucleus
neutron
a particle in the atomic nucleus with mass virtually equal to the proton’s but with no charge
isotopes
atoms of the same element (the same # of protons) with different numbers of neutrons. They have identical atomic numbers but different mass numbers
atomic number
the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom