- Overview:
Know the meaning of the major vocabulary terms listed below.
- Familiarize yourself
with the abbreviations for the most commonly discussed elements:
H Hydrogen O Oxygen N Nitrogen C Carbon
Na Sodium K Potassium Ca Calcium Cl Chlorine
- Properties of water:
Water is a unique, polar molecule that can dissolve other polar molecules, including most ionic substances.
- Inorganic compounds:
Metallic elements tend to lose electrons and form positive ions.
Nonmetallic elements tend to lose electrons and form negative ions.
Positive and negative ions attract to form ionic compounds.
Most ionic compounds dissolve in water and the ions separate (dissociate).
- Organic compounds:
Organic compounds are formed primarily of the four elements H, O, N, and C.
Each H forms 1 bond; each O forms 2 bonds; each N forms 3 bonds; each C forms 4 bonds (the "HONC rule").
Carbons often bond to one another and may form long chains.
Some organic compounds are polar and compatible with water (hydrophilic),
while others are nonpolar and incompatible (immiscible) with water (hydrophobic).
- VOCABULARY TO KNOW:
THIS LIST IS UNDER DEVELOPMENT AND MAY EXPAND
Matter: Anything that has mass and occupies space.
Energy: The capacity to do work.
Atom: Smallest particle of any element that still exhibits the properties of that element.
Atoms are composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Nucleus: The central part of an atom, containing the protons and neutrons.
Electron: A negatively charged particle on the periphery of an atom, outside the nucleus.
Molecule: The smallest particle of a compound that still exhibits the properties of that compound.
Ion: An electrically charged atom or molecule, formed by the loss or gain of electrons.
Polar: Having positive and negative electric charges separated from one another.
Nonpolar: Having positive and negative electric charges evenly distributed.
Covalent bond: A chemical bond formed by the sharing of electrons in pairs.
Organic compounds: Compounds containing covalently bonded carbon.
Miscible: Capable of forming a uniform (homogeneous) mixture.
Immiscible: Incompatible with one another, separating into different layers or phases when combined.
Hydrophilic: Miscible with water; generally this means polar.
Hydrophobic: Immiscible with water; nonpolar.
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