Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Matter and Energy: Exploring the Stuff of Chemistry
Knowing the States of Matter and Their Changes
Throwing mixtures into the mix
Nice Properties You’ve Got There
Repeating Patterns: The Modern Periodic Table
Arranging Elements in the Periodic Table
Grouping metals, nonmetals, and metalloids
Arranging elements by families and periods
Seeing How the Atom’s Put Together
Dealing with a Nuclear Breakup: Balancing Reactions
Understanding Types of Natural Radioactive Decay
Half-Lives and Radioactive Dating
Calculating remaining radioactivity
Breaking Elements Apart with Nuclear Fission
Mass defect: Where does all that energy come from?
Chain reactions and critical mass
Coming Together with Nuclear Fusion
Forming Ions: Making Satisfying Electron Trades
Looking at charges on single-atom ions
Grouping atoms to form polyatomic ions
Making the bond: Sodium metal + chlorine gas = sodium chloride
Figuring out the formulas of ionic compounds
Bonding Clues: Electrolytes and Nonelectrolytes
Sharing electrons: A hydrogen example
Comparing covalent bonds with other bonds
Naming Covalent Compounds Made of Two Elements
Writing Covalent Compound Formulas
Structural formulas: Dots and dashes
Electronegativities: Which Atoms Have More Pull?
Polar covalent bonding: Creating partial charges
Attracting other molecules: Intermolecular forces
Reactants and Products: Reading Chemical Equations
Collision Theory: How Reactions Occur
Adding, releasing, and absorbing energy
Combination reactions: Coming together
Decomposition reactions: Breaking down
Single displacement reactions: Kicking out another element
Double displacement reactions: Trading places
Redox reactions: Exchanging electrons
Balancing the burning of butane
Knowing Chemical Equilibrium Backwards and Forwards
Matching rates of change in the Haber process
Constants: Comparing amounts of products and reactants
Le Chatelier’s Principle: Getting More (or Less) Product
Chemical Kinetics: Changing Reaction Speeds
Seeing How Catalysts Speed Up Reactions
Heterogeneous catalysis: Giving reactants a better target
Homogeneous catalysis: Offering an easier path
Chapter 8: Electrochemistry: Using Electrons
Transferring Electrons with Redox Reactions
One’s loss is the other’s gain
Exploring Electrochemical Cells
Galvanic cells: Getting electricity from chemical reactions
Electrolytic cells: Getting chemical reactions from electricity
Having it both ways with rechargeable batteries
Chapter 9: Measuring Substances with the Mole
Moles: Putting Avogadro’s Number to Good Use
Calculating weight, particles, and moles
Chapter 10: A Salute to Solutions
Mixing Things Up with Solutes, Solvents, and Solutions
Understanding Solution Concentration Units
Molarity: Comparing solute to solution
Molality: Comparing solute to solvent
Observing Properties of Acids and Bases
The Brønsted-Lowry Acid-Base Theory
Understanding Strong and Weak Acids and Bases
Acid-Base Reactions: Using the Brønsted-Lowry System
Acting as either an acid or base: Amphoteric water
Showing True Colors with Acid-Base Indicators
Doing a quick color test with litmus paper
Phenolphthalein: Finding concentration with titration
Chapter 12: Clearing the Air on Gases
The Kinetic Molecular Theory: Assuming Things about Gases
Relating Physical Properties with Gas Laws
Boyle’s law: Pressure and volume
Charles’s law: Volume and temperature
Gay-Lussac’s Law: Pressure and temperature
The combined gas law: Pressure, volume, and temp.
Avogadro’s Law: The amount of gas
The ideal gas equation: Putting it all together
Chapter 13: Ten Serendipitous Discoveries in Chemistry