Atom the basic unit of an element that can enter into chemical reaction.

Molecule The simplest unit of a chemical compound that can exist, consisting of
two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds.
An aggregate of at least two atoms in a definite arrangement held together by
chemical forces

Element A type of matter composed of only one kind of atom, each atom of a
given kind having the same properties. (Mass)

Compound A type of matter composed of atoms of two or more elements

chemically combined in fixed proportions.

Chemical Reaction The rearrangement of the atoms present in the reacting

substances to give new chemical combinations present in the substances formed by
the reaction.

Atomic Symbol A one or two letter notation used to represent an atom

corresponding to a particular element.

Daltons Atomic Theory

Law of Conservation of Mass

Matter can be neither created nor destroyed. The total mass remains constant
during a chemical reaction.

Law of Definite Proportions (Proust)Different sample of same compound always contain its constituent elements in the
same proportion by mass.

Law of Multiple Proportions If two elements can combine to form more than one compound, the mass of one
element that combine with a fixed mass of the other element are in ratio of small
whole numbers.
Atoms are made of subatomic particles (electrons, protons, neutrons)

Nucleus The atoms central core, which is positively charged, and contains most
of the atoms mass.

Electron A very light positively charged particle that exist in the region around
the atoms positively charged nucleus.

Proton A nuclear particle having a positive charge equal to that of the electron
and a mass more than 1800 times that of the electron.

Neutron A nuclear particle having a mass almost identical to that of the proton
but no electric charge.

Radioactivity Spontaneous emission of particles or radiation.

Radiation The emission and transmission of energy through space in the form of
waves.
Alpha () positively charged
Beta () negatively charged
Gamma () no charge

Atomic Number (Z) The number of protons in the nucleus of each atom of an
element.

Mass Number (A) The total number of neutrons and protons present in the
nucleus of an atom an element.

Number of Neutron (A-Z)

Nuclide An atom characterized by a definite atomic number and mass number.
23

11Na

Atomic Mass Unit (AMU) A mass unit equal to exactly one-twelfth the mass of a
carbon-12.

Isotope Atoms that have the same atomic number but different mass numbers.
[Neutron number changes]

Fractional Abundance The fraction of the total number of atoms that is

composed of a particular isotope.

Periodic Table A chart in which elements having similar chemical and physical
properties are grouped together.

Period It consists of the elements in any one horizontal row of the periodic table.
Group It consists of the elements in any one column of the periodic table.

The A Groups are called the main-group elements.

The B Groups are called transition elements.
Group IA Alkali Metals
Group IIA Alkali Earth Metals
Group 7A Halogens
Group 8A Noble Gases
Elements Metals, Non-Metals, Metalloids.

Metal A substance or mixture that has a characteristic luster, or shine, and is

generally a good conductor of heat and electricity. [except Mercury]

Non-Metal - An element that does not exhibit the characteristics of a metal and a
poor conductor of heat and electricity.

Metalloid- An element having both metallic and non-metallic properties. [Si, Ge;
Semiconductor]

Mantle A layer which surrounds the core of earth. Consists of hot fluid containing
Fe, C, Si, S.

Trace Elements Fe, Cu, Zn, I, Co.

DiAtomic Molecule H2, Cl2, Br2, I2, HCl, CO . . . .
PolyAtomic Molecule O3, NH3
Ion An atom or o group of atoms that has a positive [cation] or negative [anion]
charge.

Ionic Compound A compound composed of cations and anions.

MonAtomic Ion An ion formed from a single atom. Na+, Cl-, Mg2+, Fe3+
PolyAtomic Ion An ion consisting of two or more atoms chemically bonded
together and carrying a net electric charge. OH-, CN-, NH4+

Chemical Formula A notation that uses atomic symbols with numerical

subscripts to convey the relative proportions of atoms of the different elements in
the substance.

Molecular Formula The chemical formula that gives the exact number of atoms
of each element in the smallest unit of a substance.

Empirical Formula The chemical formula that tells us which elements are
present and the simplest whole-number ration of their atoms.

Allotrope It is one of two or more distinct forms of an element.

Monomers The small molecules that are linked together to form the polymer.
Polymers The large molecules that are made up of a number of smaller
molecules repeatedly linked together.

Organic Compounds An important class molecular substances that contain

carbon combined with other elements such as hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.

Inorganic Compounds Compounds that are composed of elements other than

carbon.

Functional Group The reactive portion of a molecule that undergoes predictable

reactions. [OH for Alcohols]

Chemical Nomenclature The systematic naming of chemical compounds.

Binary Compound A compound composed of only two elements.

Molecular Compound A compound that contains discrete molecular units.

Acid A substance that yields hydrogen ions when dissolved in water.
Base A substance that yields hydroxide ions when dissolved in water.
Hydrate A compound that contains water molecules weakly bound in its crystals.
CuSO4.5H2O

Chemical Equation The symbolic representation of a chemical reaction in terms

of chemical formulas.

Reactant A starting substance in a chemical reaction.

Product A substance that results from a reaction.