Term | Definition |
Atom | Smallest particle of an element that still has its properties; made up of protons, neutrons, & electrons |
Boyle's Law | States that the pressure of a gas will change indirectly with a change in volume (same temperature) |
Charles' Law | States that the volume of a gas will change directly with a change in temperature (same pressure) |
Chemical property | Describes how matter reacts or changes, such as flammability |
Chemical change | Type of reaction in which matter is changes and creates a new substance |
Chemical formula | Represents a chemical compound, such as HCl or NaF |
Chemical symbol | Represents a chemical element, such as H or O |
Compound | Two or more substances that are chemically combined; represented by chemical formulas |
Density | Calculated by diving an object's mass by its volume |
Element | Simplest pure substance, represented by a chemical symbol |
Mass | Amount of matter in an object; does not change with changes in gravity |
Matter | Any substance that has mass and volume; |
Mixture | Two or more substance mixed together but not chemically combined; may be separated by physical means |
Physical property | Describes the appearance and other characteristics of matter |
Physical change | Change in size, shape, or state; does not create a new substance |
Solution | Mixture in which one substance is dissolved in another, such as lemonade or Kool-Aid |
Volume | Amount of space an object takes up |
Phase (State) | Form for matter with varying levels of thermal energy; solids, liquids, and gases |
Vaporization | Occurs when a liquid changes into a gas; may be evaporation or boiling |
Sublimation | Occurs when a gas turns to a solid or solid turns to a gas without going through the liquid phase |
Endothermic | Reaction or change that absorbs energy during the process |
Exothermic | Reaction or change that gives off energy during the process |
Melting | Solid turning into a liquid from a gain of thermal energy |
Freezing | Liquid turning into a solid from a loss of thermal energy |
Boiling | Type of vaporization that occurs throughout a liquid; such as water turning into steam |
Evaporation | Type of vaporization that occurs at the surface of a liquid; such as water turning into water vapor at the surface of a puddle |
Condensation | Gas turning into a liquid from a loss of thermal energy; such as water vapor turning into water droplets in a cloud |
Solid | Phase of matter with a definite shape and volume |
Liquid | Phase of matter with a definite volume, but no definite shape as it takes the shape of its container |
Gas | Phase of matter that does not have a definite shape or volume as it takes up any available space |
Weight | Measure of the force of gravity acting on an object; changes with changes in gravity (such as weighing less on the moon) |
Marshmallow | Fluffy white confection that was used to study Boyle's Law |