Chemistry Midterm Vocab + Scientists

Chemistry

Study of the composition, properties, and changes of substances

Precision

Measure of the agreement between the numerical values of 2 or more measurements

Accuracy

Indication of how close a measurement is to its accepted value

significant digit

Digit in a measurement that is certain, plus one digit that is an estimate

density

Mass of an object divided by its volume

mass (vs. weight)

Quantity of matter in an object; independent of gravity

dimensional analysis

Technique for converting between units

absolute zero

Theoretically lowest temp that can be reached, -273 �C or 0 K

law of conservation of energy/mass/matter

Energy, mass, or matter is neither created nor destroyed in any process

chemical property

Cannot be observed without altering the identity of the substance

physical property (extensive vs. intensive)

Can be observed w/o altering identity; ext. depends on amount

chemical change

Process producing a new substance

physical change

Non-altering identity process

element

Simplest type of pure substance

compound

2 or more elements chemically combined in a fixed proportion

heterogeneous mixture

Particles not uniformly mixed; visibly different parts

homogeneous mixture

Uniformly mixed particles; solutions electron negatively charged subatomic particle proton positively charged subatomic particle

neutron

neutral subatomic particle

isotope

atom of an element with the same number of protons but a different number of neutrons

mass number

sum of the protons + neutrons

atomic mass unit

1/12 the mass of a carbon-12 atom

atomic number

number of protons in the nucleus of an atom

amplitude

height of a wave measured from its origin to its crest

wavelength

distance between 2 successive similar points on a wave (?)

frequency

# of waves that pass a certain point in a given amount of time (Hz)

quantum

smallest unit of radiant energy that can be absorbed or emitted

period

horizontal row of elements on the periodic table

group

(family) vertical column of elements on the periodic table

valence electrons

outermost energy level electrons; gained, lost, or shared in the formation of chemical bonds

atomic radius

distance between the center of the nucleus and the outermost electrons of an atom

ionization energy

energy needed to remove the most loosely held electron from an atom

electronegativity

tells how strongly an atom attracts electrons in a chemical bond

Rutherford

gold foil; mostly empty space w/ + dense core (nucleus) and orbiting electrons

Thomson

with CRT discovered electrons

Planck

quantum theory; E = hv

Heisenberg

uncertainty principle

Dalton

1st modern atomic theory

Moseley

atomic number

Millikan

oil drop; charge of the electron

Bohr

spectral lines for Hydrogen; electrons found in specific (quantized) energy levels

ionic bond

formed by transfer of electron(s); metal + nonmetal

formula unit

used to designate a unit of an ionic compound

covalent bond

formed by sharing electrons; nonmetal + nonmetal

molecule

neutral group of atoms united by covalent bonds

cation

positive ion ; metals losing e-'s

anion

negative ion ; nonmetals gaining e-'s

octet

rule gaining, losing, or sharing electrons to obtain a full outermost

energy level, typically 8 e

's; noble gas configuration

interparticle force

weak attraction existing between neighboring particles (e.g., ions, molecules, atoms) 10

intermolecular force

weak attraction existing between neighboring molecules; also called Van der Waals forces

induced dipole

created (within a nonpolar molecule) by the presence of a neighboring dipole or ion

dispersion force

intermolecular force of attraction between induced dipoles (between nonpolar molecules)

dipole dipole force

between neighboring dipoles; line up with positive and negative ends close to each other

hydrogen bond

between hydrogen atom of one molecule and a highly electronegative atom of another molecule; accounts for surface tension of water

ion dipole

force between an ion and a polar molecule; positive end of dipole attracted to negative ions and negative end of dipole attracted to positive ions

atomic mass

average of the masses of all isotopes of an element

formula mass

sum of the masses of all the atoms in a compound

molar mass

mass in grams of one mole of a substance