Chemistry & Physics Flashcards
CFC-based refrigerants trademarked by DuPont
Identified by Thomas Midgley in the 1930s
FREON
Trioxygen molecule
Pollutant at ground level
Protective UV barrier layer in the stratosphere (with an annual hole discovered in the 1980s)
Layer damaged by CFCs
Smell left behind after lightning
OZONE
O3
So-called “4th state of matter”
Ionized gas (to oversimplify)
Present in stars, solar wind, aurorae, lightning
PLASMA
Proposed as “anti-electron” in by Paul Dirac in 1930
Discovered and named in 1932
Antimatter/antiparticle of electron
POSITRON
(from POSITIVE ELECTRON)
“Destructive” process in which antimatter and matter (such as electron and positron) meet and release energy
ANNIHILATION
Discovered by Pierre Curie
Effect in which mechanical stress causes some materials, like quartz, to release a charge
PIEZOELECTRIC EFFECT
Alloy of primarily copper, with ~12% tin
BRONZE
Naturally occurring alloy of silver & gold
ELECTRUM
Alloy of copper & zinc
Subject of “rubbing” by British hobbyists
BRASS
Alloy of iron & carbon
STEEL
Element that makes steel “stainless”
CHROMIUM
Previously “glucinium”
Element #4
Alkaline Earth metal
BERYLLIUM
Be
Alliterative alloy of iron, carbon & chromium
STAINLESS STEEL
Steel with a high carbon content is referred to with this “animal” name
PIG IRON
Austrian physicist
1887 paper on supersonic velocities
Name given to a supersonic “cone” as well as the “number” that is the ratio of one’s speed to the speed of sound
ERNST MACH
Yeast enzyme that converts carbs/sugars to CO2 & alcohol
ZYMASE
Element 101
Named for the Russian chemist who established the periodic table
MENDELEVIUM
Md
Element 117
Named for the location of Vanderbilt University and Oak Ridge Lab
TENNESSINE
Ts
Hypothetical room-temperature nuclear fusion
In 1989 Pons & Fleischmann claimed to have discovered it but were debunked
COLD FUSION
Radioactive emission of a high-speed positron or electron
Converts a proton to a neutron or vice versa
BETA DECAY/RAY/RADIATION/PARTICLE
Russian chemist
Established modern periodic table & his “Periodic Law” (1869)
Namesake of element 101 (Md)
DMITRI MENDELEEV
Precursor to vitamin A
Red/orange antioxidant
Found in carrot, sweet potato, squash, cantaloupe, fall leaves, and flamingoes
BETA-CAROTENE
Sugar substitute
Discovered in 1879 by Constantin Fahlberg while doing coal tar experiments
Derived from toluene
Over 300x sweeter than sucrose, though bitter aftertaste
Early Monsanto product
Sold as Sweet’N Low
SACCHARIN
Sugar substitute
Discovered 1965, FDA approved in 1981
~200x sweeter than sucrose
Sold as Equal & NutraSweet
ASPARTAME
Sugar substitute
Derived from chlorinating sucrose
Sold as Splenda
SUCRALOSE
Element #112
Named for Polish astronomer
COPERNICIUM
Hydrogen isotope
Has 1 proton and 0 neutrons
Most common
PROTIUM
Hydrogen isotope
1 proton & 1 neutron
1 in 6500
“Heavy hydrogen”
Used in ___ oxide, “heavy water”
1943 Norwegian commandos cut off Nazi supply
2 collide in an H-bomb/fusion bomb
DEUTERIUM
Hydrogen isotope
1 hydrogen & 2 neutrons
Also called Hydrogen-3 or 3H
Radioactive, half-life of 12 years
TRITIUM
Ratio of a quanta’s energy to its frequency
Named for German physicist Max
PLANCK CONSTANT
Poison gas used in WWI
Also called “sulfur ____” or “yperite”
Named for its smell
SCH2CH2CL
MUSTARD GAS
Nerve gas
Developed 1938
Causes paralysis
Used in 1995 Tokyo subway attack
Used by Iraq against Kurds
SARIN
Fertilizer
Caused 2020 explosion in Beirut, Lebanon
NH4NO3
AMMONIUM NITRATE
Ammonium carbonate & perfume
Used for fainting Victorian ladies & NFL players
SMELLING SALTS
3-letter unit
1 atmosphere = ~14.7 of them
PSI
POUND PER SQUARE INCH
Subatomic particle
Charm quark plus a charm antiquark
PSI PARTICLE
J/PSI MESON
Evidence of the Big Bang
Can appear as TV static
(COSMIC MICROWAVE) BACKGROUND RADIATION
