Term | Definition |
Matter | anything that has mass and volume |
Atom | the smallest particle of an element that maintains the chemical characteristics of that element |
Proton | the positive particle in the center of an atom |
Neutron | the neutral particle in the center of an atom |
Electron | the negative particle which orbits the center of the atom |
valance electrons | the outermost layer of electrons which are involved in bonding |
Electron Cloud/ Shells/Orbitals | the outermost portion of an atom where the electrons are housed |
Nucleus | the center of the atom composed of neutrons and protons |
Element | a substance of matter made of only one kind of atom (pure substance) |
Period | a row of elements on the periodic table whose properties change gradually and predictably |
Group/ Family | columns on the periodic table which have similar chemical properties (# of valence e-) |
atomic number | A classifying number of an atom which indicates proton and electron count |
Atomic Symbol | A shorthand letter symbol used to identify atoms. First letter is always capitalized. |
Atomic Weight | the average weight of one atom of an element (protons + neutrons), based off of Carbon. |
Molecule | neutral particle formed when atoms share electrons (can be elemental or compound based) |
compound | substance that contains 2 or more different elements |
chemical bond | when two or more atoms are held together by sharing or transferring electrons (stores energy) |
Polar Molecule (Polar Bond) | a molecule/bond which has 2 charged sides |
Non-polar Molecule (Bond) | a neutral molecule/bond with no charge |
States of Matter | matter can change state based on temperature and resulting density of atoms: solid, liquid, gas |
Chemical Reaction | a reaction in which energy causes a bond to be rearranged, and a new chemical substance is created |
Physical Reaction | A change to the size or shape of a substance which does not create a new chemical substance |
Law of Conservation of Mass | matter can neither be created nor destroyed |
Exothermic Reaction | a chemical reaction which releases heat energy (gets hot) |
Endothermic Reaction | a chemical reaction which requires energy to begin (gets cold) |
Catalyst | a chemical which speeds up a reaction |
Covalent Bond | a bond in which electrons are shared
Ionic Bond - a bond in which electrons are transferred/taken |
Metallic Bond | a bond in which electrons are pooled |
mixture | a substance in which two or more chemical substances are combined but not bonded chemically |
solution | a uniform mixture |
solute | the substance being dissolved |
solvent | the substance dissolving |
boiling point | the temperature of the substance where the vapor pressure of the substance is equal to the surrounding air pressure |
melting point | the temperature at which a substance changes state from solid to liquid at normal atmospheric pressure |
solubility | the ability of a substance to dissolve in solution |
isotope | atom with varying amounts of neutrons |
ion | charged atom, as in an ionic bond |
reactant | the portion of a chemical reaction that is changing |
product | what results from a chemical reaction |
saturated | a solution that has as much solute as possible |
super-saturated | a solution with MORE than the normal amount of solute possible |