Chapter 2 & 3 - The Chemical Context of Life & Water and Life Flashcards
anything that takes up space and has mass
Matter
substance that cannot be broken down to other substances by chemical reactions
element
substance consisting of two or more different elements combined in a fixed ratio
compound
elements that an organism needs to live a healthy life and reproduce
essential elements
required by an organism in only minute quantities
trace elements
smallest unit of matter that still retains the properties of an element
atom
number of protons, which is unique to each element
atomic number
total number of protons and neutrons in the nucleus of an atom
mass number
the total mass of an atom
atomic mass
different atomic forms of the same element
isotopes
the nucleus decays spontaneously, giving off particles and energy
radioactive isotope
fixed rate at which a parent isotope decays into its daughter isotope (the time it takes for 50% of the parent isotope to decay)
half-life
process where scientists measure the ratio of different isotopes and calculate how many half-lives have passed since an organism was fossilized or a rock was formed
radiometric dating
the capacity to cause change, by doing work
energy
the energy that matter possesses because of its location or structure
potential energy
outer electrons in an atom
valence electrons
the outermost electron shell
valence shells
the 3D space where an electron is found 90% of the time
orbital
interactions usually result in atoms staying close together, held by attractions
chemical bonds
sharing of a pair of valence electrons by two atoms
covalent bonds
two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds
molecule
a pair of shared electrons
single bond
bonding capacity of an atom (equals number of electrons required to complete the atoms’s outermost shell
valence
the attraction of a particular atom for the electrons of a covalent bond
electronegativity
bond where electrons are shared equally in a covalent bond because they have the same electronegativity
nonpolar covalent bond
bond where an atom is bonded to a more electronegative atom, the electrons are not shared equally
polar covalent bond