Beginners Chemistry Vocab

electron

a negatively charged subatomic particle moving around the outside of the nucleus of an atom

neutron

a neutral subatomic particle in the nucleus of an atom

compound

two or more elements that combine to make a new substance

element

a pure substance that cannot be broken down into other substances by chemical or physical means

chemistry

the study of what things are made of and how they change

proton

a positively charged subatomic particle in the nucleus of an atom

nucleus

the center of an atom, made up of protons and nuetrons

metalloid

elements on the periodic table that have both properties of metals and nonmetals

nonmetal

nonmetals are dull and they do not conduct heat and electricity

metal

metals are dense, strong and good conductors of heat and electricity

atom

the smallest particle of an element

molecule

a particle made up of two or more atoms bonded together

subscript

in a chemical formula, the number to the lower right on an element symbol indicating the # of atoms of that element

periodic table

elements are grouped by their characteristics on this chart developed by Dmitri Mendleev in 1869 ( its always getting updated though)

mass

a measure of the quantity of MATTER in an object

atomic mass

the total number of protons and nuetrons in the nucleus of an atom

atomic number

the number of protons in the nucleus of an atom

chemical formula

the chemical symbols and numbers indicating the atoms contained in the basic unit of a substance. a shorter easier way to show chemical reactions

chemical bond

the force that hold atoms together

product

during a chemical reaction, this is the substance that is the result of a chemical change

reactant

during a chemical reaction, this is the substance that undergoes a chemical change

chemical change

change in matter that forms one or more new substances

physical change

a change that alters the form or appearance of a material but does not convert the material into a new substance