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Gen. Chem. Chapter 1
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67
Chemistry
Undergraduate 1
09/26/2009

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Term
Chemistry
Definition
the science that seeks to understand the behavior of matter by studying the behavior of atoms and molecules
Term
Atoms
Definition
a submicroscopic particle that constitutes the fundamental building block of ordinary matter; the smallest identifiable unit of an element
Term
Molecules
Definition
two or more atoms joined chemically in a specific geometrical arrangement
Term
Atomic Theory
Definition
the theory that each element is composed of tiny indestructible particles called atoms, that all atoms of a given element have the same mass and other properties, and that atoms combine in simple, whole-number ratios to form compounds
Term
Theory
Definition
a proposed explanation for observations and laws based on well-established and tested hypotheses, that presents a model of the way nature works and predicts behavior beyond the observations and laws on which it was based
Term
Law of Conservation of Mass
Definition
a law stating that matter is neither created nor destroyed in a chemical reaction
Term
Scientific Law
Definition
a brief statement or equation that summarizes past observations and predicts future ones
Term
Experiment
Definition
a highly controlled procedure designed to generate observations that may support a hypothesis or prove it wrong
Term
Hypothesis
Definition
a tentative interpretation or explanation of an observation
Term
Scientific Method
Definition
an approach to acquiring knowledge about the natural world that begins with observations and leads to the formation of testable hyptheses
Term
Matter
Definition
anything that occupies space and has mass
Term
State
Definition
a classification of the form of matter as a solid, liquid or gas
Term
Solid
Definition
a state of matter in which atoms or molecules are packed close to one another in fixed locations with definite volumes
Term
Liquid
Definition
a state of matter in which atoms or molecules pack about as close as they do in solid matter but are free to move relative to each other, giving a fixed volume, but not a fixed shape
Term
Gas
Definition
a state of matter in which atoms or molecules have a great deal of space between them and are free to move relative to one another; lacking a definite shape or volume, a gas conforms to those of its container
Term
Filtration
Definition
a procedure used to separate a mixture composed of an insoluble solid and a liquid by pouring it through filter paper of some other porous membrane or layer
Term
Volatile
Definition
tending to vaporize easily
Term
Distillation
Definition
the process by which mixtures of miscible liquids are separated by heating the mixture to boil off the more volatile liquid. The vaporized component is then recondensed and collected in a separate flask
Term
Decanting
Definition
a method of separating immiscible liquids by pouring the top layer into another container
Term
Homogeneous Mixture
Definition
a mixture with the same composition throughout
Term
Heterogeneous Mixture
Definition
a mixture which the composition varies from one region to another
Term
Compound
Definition
a substance composed of two or more elements in fixed, definite proportions
Term
Element
Definition
a substance that cannot be chemically broken down into simple substances
Term
Mixture
Definition
a substance composed of two or more different types of atoms or molecules that can be combined in variable proportions
Term
Pure Substances
Definition
a substance composed of only one type of atom or molecule
Term
Amorphous
Definition
a solid in which atoms or molecules do not have any long-range order
Term
Crystalline
Definition
a solid in which atoms, molecules or ions are arranged in patterns with long-range, repeating order
Term
Physical Change
Definition
a change that alters only the state or appearance of a substance but not its chemical composition
Term
Chemical Change
Definition
a change that alters the molecular composition of a substance
Term
Chemical Property
Definition
a property that a substance displays only by changing its composition via a chemical change
Term
Physical Property
Definition
a property that a substance displays without changing its chemical composition
Term
Dimensional Analysis
Definition
the use of units as a guide to solving problems
Term
Conversion factor
Definition
a factor used to convert between two different units; a conversion factor can be constructed from any two quantities known to be equivalent
Term
Systematic Error
Definition
error that tends towards being consistently too high or too low
Term
Random Error
Definition
error that has equal probability of being too high or too low
Term
Precision
Definition
a term that refers to how close a series of measurements are to another or how reproducible they are
Term
Accuracy
Definition
a term that refers to how close a measured value is to the actual value
Term
Exact Numbers
Definition
numbers that have no uncertainty and thus do not limit the number of significant figures in any calculation
Term

Significant Figures

(digits)

Definition
in any reported measurement, the non-place-holding digits that indicate the precision of the measured quantity
Term
Law of Conservation of Energy
Definition
a law stating that energy can neither be created nor destroyed, only converted from one form to another
Term
Thermal Energy
Definition
a type of kinetic energy associated with the temperature of an object, arising from the motion of individual atoms or molecules in the objects
Term
Potential Energy
Definition
the energy associated with the position or composition of the object
Term
Kinetic Energy
Definition
the energy associated with motion of an object
Term
Work
Definition
result of a force acting through a distance
Term
Energy
Definition
the capacity to do work
Term
Units
Definition
standard quantities used to specify measurements
Term
English System
Definition
the system of units used in the United States and various other countries in which the inch is the unit of length, the pound is the unit of force and the ounce is the unit of mass
Term
Metric System
Definition
the system of measurements used in most countries in which the meter is the unit of length, the kilogram is the unit of mass and the second is the unit of time
Term

International System of Units

(SI)

Definition
the standard unit system used by scientists, based on the metric system
Term
Meter
Definition
the SI standard unit of length, equivalent to 39.37 inches
Term
Kilgram
Definition
the SI standard unit of mass defined as the mass of a block of metal kept at the International Bureau of Weights & Measure at Sevres, France
Term
Mass
Definition
a measure of the quantity of matter making up an object
Term
Second
Definition
the SI standard of time, defined as the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation emitted from a certain transition in a cesium-133 atom
Term
Kelvin
Definition
the SI standard unit of temperature
Term
Temperature
Definition
a measure of the average kinetic energy of the atoms or molecules that compose a sample of matter
Term
Fahrenheit Scale
Definition
the temperature scale that is most familiar in the United States, on which pure water freezes at 32 degrees F and boils at 212 degrees F
Term
Celsius Scale
Definition
the temperature scale most used by scientists, on which pure water freezes at 0 degrees C and boils at 100 degrees C (at atmospheric pressure)
Term
Kelvin Scale
Definition
the temperature scale that assigns O K (-273 degrees C or -459 degrees F) to the coldest temperature possible, absolute zero, the temperature at which molecular motion virtually stops 1 K =1 degree C
Term
Prefix Multipliers
Definition
multipliers that change the value of the unit by powers of 10
Term
Derived Unit
Definition
a unit that is a combination of other base units. For example, the SI unit for speed is meters per second (mps) a derived unit
Term
Volume
Definition
a measure of space. any unit of length when cubed becomes a unit of volume
Term
Milliliter
Definition

a unit of volume equal to 10-3 

L or 1 cm3

Term
Liter
Definition

a unit of volume equal to 1,000 cm3

or 1.057 qt.

Term
Density 
Definition
the ratio of an objects mass to its volume
Term
Extensive Property
Definition
a property that depends on the amount of a given substance, such as mass
Term
Intensive Property
Definition
a property such as density that is independent of the amount of a given substance
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