Chapter 1 Learning Targets

Understand and appreciate how everything in the universe is based on chemistry

Understand that chemistry is the study of matter and its properties; and that those properties are determined by the properties of the sub-microscopic (invisible) particles making up the matter you can see, feel, etc.

Know the definition of a chemical change and be able to identify a chemical change (any change that involves a chemical reaction, the breaking/formation of chemical bonds)

Know the definition of a physical change and be able to identify a physical change (any change to the physical orientation, size, shape, or state of matter- solid, liquid, gas)

Know the classification of matter and the definitions of the various classifications.

Matter is either pure substance or mixtures. Pure substances are elements and compounds— they have constant composition, constant properties throughout. Mixtures are either homogeneous or heterogeneous. They have variable compositions. A homogeneous mixture is a solution such as sugar in water, mixed gases (air is nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide and small amounts of other gases uniformly mixed), or metal alloys such as brass (copper, nickel). A homogeneous mixture has the same properties throughout. Heterogeneous mixtures have two or more phases present each with their own properties (oil and water, sand and clay, Coke)

Be able to identify different classes of matter as pure substances, mixtures- homogeneous, or heterogeneous.

Know the definition of a molecule—the smallest particle of a pure substance that has the properties of that substance and is capable of independent existence. Also is the limit of physical subdivision of a pure substance.

Understand the difference between diatomic, triatomic, and polyatomic molecules and be able to classify molecules according to these terms.

Understand the difference between homoatomic and heteroatomic molecules and be able to classify molecules according to these terms.

Know the definition of a compound—a substance formed from two or more different atoms of different elements combined in a fixed proportion (for example 2 atoms of hydrogen bonded to 1 atom of oxygen for H2O) and they have different properties than the elements that compose them. They can be broken down into elements by undergoing chemical change.

Understand that scientific measurement requires a system of units (normally based on the metric system)

Know the common metric system prefixes (kilo, k= thousand, 1,000 or 1x103; deci, d=tenth, 0.1, 1x10-1, centi, c=hundredth, 0.01, 1x10-2, milli, m=thousandth, 0.001, 1x10-3; micro, µ = millionth, 0.000001, 1x10- 6; nano, n = billionth, 0.000000001, 1x10-9 Know basic units of scientific measurement—length = meters, volume is the space occupied by a substance = liters (derived from units of length3). One liter = 1000 cm3

***Be able to use scientific notation in calculations on your computer ***

Know the definition of mass—the amount of matter in a substance with units of grams (mass and weight are commonly used together, but for sake of this class try not to use “weight” to refer to mass).

Know and be able to differentiate between accuracy (how close measurements are to the actual true measurement) and precision (how close measurements are to each other for a series of repeated measurements done at the same conditions)

Know the three temperature scales—Celsius (used in science, references boiling point and freezing point of water as 100oC and 0oC), Kelvin (used in science and references absolute zero as 0 Kelvins), and Fahrenheit (not generally used in science, water boils at 212oF and freezes at 32oF)

Be able to convert between Celsius, kelvin, and Fahrenheit scales using the appropriate formulas.

Know and be able to apply the rules for determining significant figures:

[Exact numbers obtained from counting, numerical definitions or equivalents (60 seconds = 1 hour, 1kg = 1,000g ) are considered to have infinite significant figures.]

Number Digits to Count Example Significant Figures

No zeros All digits 13534 5

Leading Zeros (to the None of the zeros, All 0.00045 2 left) non-zeros digits

Captive Zeros All digits 12004 5

Trailing Zeros (to the Count all non-zero digits 400.0 and 400 and 4 and 1 and 2 right) and trailing zeros WHEN 0.040 DECIMAL PRESENT. Do not count if no decimal.

Scientific Notation All digits in front of x10 3.71 x 107 3

2.040 x 10-2 4 (from 0.02040) Know the rules for showing significant figures in calculations involving multiplying and dividing—the calculated answer should have the same number of SIGNIFICANT FIGURES as the number with the FEWEST sig figs in the calculation.

Know the rules for showing significant figures in calculations involving addition and subtraction-- the calculated answer should have the same number of DECIMAL PLACES as the number with the FEWEST decimal places.

Know that measurements always require units to represent that measurement (liters, meters, etc.)

Be able to use units correctly in calculations and representations of measurements.

Know the common units of measure—meter, kilogram, second, Kelvin, liter (and more).

Be able to convert from units of measure to another using conversion factor(s)

Be able to calculations involving percentages

Know the definition of density—mass/unit volume

Be able to do calculations involving density with mass and volume, or mass and the linear dimensions of a rectangular solid (length, width, height).

Understand the basic concepts of the scientific method involving observation and data collection, formulation of explanations (hypotheses), testing and further cycles of observation, hypothesizing, testing.