Classifying materials - the periodic table

Question 1

Describe an atom

Answer 1

It is a tiny particle, all matter is made from atoms

Question 2

What is an element?

Answer 2

An element is a substance which is made from only one type of atom.

Question 3

What is a compound?

Answer 3

A compound is a substance which is made from two or more types of atom.
It is formed by a chemical reaction

Question 4

Are the following elements or compounds?
Carbon dioxide?
Nitrogen?
Water?
Gold?
Rust?

Answer 4

Carbon dioxide CO2 compound
Nitrogen? N2 element
Water? H2O compound
Gold? Au element
Rust? FeO iron oxide compound

Tip - if there is more than one capital letter in it’s formula it is a compound!

Question 5

Can elements be broken down? into simpler substances?

Answer 5

No they are as simple as it gets!

Question 6

Can compounds be broken down? into simpler substances?

Answer 6

Yes they can be broken down by a chemical reaction

Question 7

What do we mean by a chemical symbol?

Answer 7

One or two letters which have been given to an element to identify it and make it less writing! The first letter is upper case the second always lower

Question 8

What is the chemical symbol for carbon?

Answer 8

C

Question 9

What is the chemical symbol for oxygen

Answer 9

O

Question 10

What is the chemical symbol for hydrogen

Answer 10

H

Question 11

What is the chemical symbol for helium

Answer 11

He

Question 12

What is the chemical symbol for nitrogen

Answer 12

N

Question 13

What is the chemical symbol for sodium

Answer 13

Na

Question 14

What is the chemical symbol for magnesium

Answer 14

Mg

Question 15

What is the chemical symbol for sulfur

Answer 15

S

Question 16

What is the chemical symbol for chlorine

Answer 16

Cl

Question 17

What is the chemical symbol for iron?

Answer 17

Fe

Question 18

What is the chemical symbol for copper?

Answer 18

Cu

Question 19

What is a diatom? clue di - atom

Answer 19

Some elements exist naturally in pairs we call these diatoms eg O2

Question 20

Name some elements which are usually diatoms

Answer 20

H2
O2
N2
Cl2

Question 21

What do we call the rows of the periodic table?

Answer 21

periods

Question 22

What do we call the columns of the periodic table?

Answer 22

groups

Question 23

What can we say about the elements in a group?

Answer 23

They all have similar properties-

Question 24

What is a molecule?

Answer 24

2 or more atoms which are bonded together- if they are the same atoms they are an element, different they are a compound
O2 is a molecule but an element
Co2 is a molecule but a compound
remember two Upper case letters is must be a compound!

Question 25

What is a mixture?

Answer 25

Two or more elements or compounds which are not bonded together
eg Iron and sulfur or salt and sugar