An Introduction to Chemistry: Atoms First - Mark Bishop
CHM 1025C: Modules One & Two Vocabulary
Chapters 1, 2 and 3.1-3.3
Bishop Chapter 1:
Chemistry – The Study of the structure and behavior of matter.
Value – A number and a unit that together represent the result of a measurement or
calculation.
Unit – A defined quantity based on a standard.
Base units – The seven unit from which all other units in the SI system of measurement
are derived.
Mass – The amount of matter in an object.
Weight – A measure of the force of gravitational attraction between an object and a
significant large object such as the earth or the moon.
Matter – Anything that has mass and occupies space.
Absolute Zero – Zero kelvins (0 K), (the lowest possible temperature, equivalent to 273.15 oC). It is a point beyond which motion can no longer be decreased.
Precision – The closeness in value of a series of measurements of a series of
measurements of the same entity.
Accuracy – How closely a measured value approaches the true value of a property.
Bishop Chapter 2:
Unit Analysis – A general technique for doing unit conversions.
Conversion factor (or Unit Factor) – A ratio that describes the relationship
between two units.
Significant figures – The number of meaningful digits in a value, reflecting the
value’s degree of uncertainty.
Density – Mass divided by volume or mass per unit volume.
Bishop Chapter 3.1, 3.2, 3.3:
Model – A simplified approximation of reality
Solid – The state in which a substance has a definite shape and volume
at a constant temperature
Liquid- The state in which a substance has a constant volume at a
constant temperature but can change its shape.
Gas – the state in which a substance can easily change shape and volume.
Vaporization (also called evaporation) – The conversion of a liquid to
a gas
Element – A substance that can not be chemically converted into a
simpler substance in which all the atoms have the same number of protons
and therefore the same chemical characteristics.
Group or family – All the elements in a given column on the periodic
table
Metals – The elements that (1) have a metallic luster (2) conduct heat and
electric currents well (ductile) and (3) are malleable
Nonmetals – The elements that do not have the characteristics of metals
Metalloids or semimetals – The elements that have some but not all the
characteristics of metals
Representative elements (also called Main Group elements) –
The elements of Groups 1, 2, and 13 through 18 (the “A” Groups” on the
periodic table
Transitional metals – The elements in Groups 3 through 12 (the “B”
Groups) on the periodic table
Inner transitional metals – the 28 elements at the bottom of the
periodic table.
Periods (or rows) – The horizontal rows of the periodic table.
Additional Words (from Lecture, words mention in the text, from Labs, and
from other books)
Science - The methodical exploration of nature and logical explanation of the
observations
Experiment - A scientific procedure for gathering data and recording observations
under controlled conditions
Scientific Method - A systematic investigation that entails performing an experiment,
proposing a hypothesis, testing the hypothesis, and stating a theory or law.
Hypothesis - A tentative proposal of a scientific principle that attempts to explain the
meaning of a set of data collected in an experiment.
Theory - An extensively tested proposal of a scientific principle that explains the
behavior of nature.
Alchemist - A pseudoscience that attempted to convert a base metal such as lead to
gold; a medieval science that sought to discover a universal cure for disease and a magic
potion for immortality.
Inorganic Chemistry - The study of chemical substances that do not contain carbon
Organic Chemistry - The study of chemical substances that contain carbon.
Biochemistry - The study of chemical substances derived from plants and animals.
Scientific law (or natural law) - An extensively tested proposal of a scientific
principle that states a measurable relationship under different experimental conditions
Physical State - The condition of matter existing as a solid, liquid, or gas.
Physical Change - A property that can be observed without changing the formula of a
substance.
Physical Property - A property that can be observed without changing the formula of
a substance.
Sublimation - A direct change of state from a solid to a gas.
Deposition - A direct change of state from a gas to a solid
Heterogeneous Mixture - Matter having an indefinite composition and variable
properties.
Homogeneous Mixture - Matter having a definite composition, but variable
properties.
Pure Substance (or Substance) - Matter having a definite composition and constant
properties.
Alloy - A homogeneous mixture of two or more metals
Compound - A pure substance that can be broken down into simpler substances.
Atom - Smallest particle that represents an element.
Molecule - A single particle composed of two or more nonmetals.
Chemical Symbol – An abbreviation for the name of an element.
Chemical Formula - An abbreviation for the name of a compound.
Chemical Property - A property that cannot be observed without changing
the formula of a substance.
Chemical Change - A modification of a substance that alters the chemical
composition
Atomic Number - A number that identifies a particular element.
Periodic Chart (or Periodic Table) - A chart that arranges elements
according to their properties.
Potential Energy - The stored energy that matter possesses owing to its
position or composition
Kinetic Energy - The energy associated with the mass and velocity of a
particle.