Physical and Chemical Properties Flashcards
Element
an atom with a unique number of protons in its nucleus
Mixture
a substance with atoms, molecules, or particles of two or more components mixed but not chemically combined
Flammability
how likely something is to catch fire
Physical Change
a change in the appearance of a material with no change to its chemical composition
Ex: phase change (water boiling)
Chemical Change
a change that alters the chemical composition of a material
Ex: digestion (carbs breaking down into sugar)
Electrical Insulator
A substance that slows or stops electricity flow
Ex: glass, air
Ground
the lowest potential, or voltage, in a circuit
Ex: negative battery terminal
Nucleus (of the Atom)
the small, positively charged core of an atom. It is made up of protons and neutrons.
Phase Change
a change of state of a substance
Ex: gas to liquid
Molecular Bond / Covalent Bond
a chemical bond that happens when two non-metal atoms share their outer electrons.
Electrons are shared between atoms
IS SHARING
Ex: bond between carbon and oxygen (CO2)
Thermal Conductivity
how well a material conducts heat
Conduction
the transfer of heat between two objects.
Pure Substance
a substance that consists of only one type of atom or molecule
Ex: helium gas
Luster
the power of a mineral’s surface to reflect light; can be metallic, submetallic, or nonmetallic.
Filtration
Separation using a medium that retains solid particles but allows liquid to flow through.
Electrical Conductor
a material, often metal, through which electrons can move freely
Ex: Copper wire
Solid
A state of matter with particles fixed and packed closely together; has a shape and volume.
Ex: Ice
Hardness
the mineral’s scratch resistance on the Mohs scale, where talc, the softest mineral, scores 1 and diamond, the hardest mineral, scores 10.
Ex: diamond is hard, talc is soft
Homogeneous Mixture
a mixture with the same ratio of parts throughout the mixture
Ex: salt dissolves in water
Distillation
A way to clean a liquid by heating it until it turns into a gas and then condensing it into a different container.
Electrical Conductivity
how well a material conducts electricity; a physical property of matter
Conservation of Matter
Matter cannot be created or destroyed; it only changes form
Ex: Chemical reaction
Magnetism
how a mineral reacts to magnets.
Chemical Properties
properties observed only when substances interact to form a new substance
