Notes, abstracts, papers, exams and problems of Chemistry

Chemicals

Evaporation

Evaporation is a physical process involving a state change from liquid to gas, in which substances can be separated based on their boiling points.

For the transition of a liquid to a gaseous state from liquid surfaces or from the ground, see: Evaporation (hydrology).

Redox

Oxidation-reduction reactions (also known as redox reactions) are electron transfer reactions. This transfer occurs between a set of chemical elements: an oxidant and a reductant (a reduced form and an oxidized form, respectively).

For a redox reaction to occur, the system must contain an element that yields electrons and another that accepts them:

• The oxidizing agent is a chemical element that tends to capture these electrons, resulting in a lower oxidation

Previous Concepts

Stress: The applied force per unit area.

Elongation: Deformation of a material under the action of a force.

Reduction in Area: The decrease in cross-sectional area.

General Properties

• Impenetrability: The volume occupied by a body cannot be occupied by another simultaneously.
• Severability: Divisible parts can be increasingly smaller.
• Porosity: Having pores.
• Compressibility: The ability of bodies to decrease their volume by applying pressure.
• Affinity: The force that unites similar materials.
• Adhesion: Attraction established between bodies whose surfaces are in contact.
• Solubility: The ability to dissolve and disperse within a liquid.
• Specific Gravity: The ratio of a body's weight to the weight of an equal volume of a reference substance.

Atomic Model Evolution

Democritus's Atomic Theory

Democritus proposed that matter could not be divided into smaller pieces forever. He believed that there were tiny, eternal, invisible, and indivisible particles called atoms (meaning indivisible in Greek) that constituted all matter.

Dalton's Atomic Theory (1808)

• Matter is made of indivisible and indestructible particles called atoms.
• All atoms of an element are identical.
• Atoms of different elements combine in fixed proportions to form compounds.

Thomson's Atomic Model (1897)

J.J. Thomson experimentally verified the existence of the electron. He discovered that the electron's mass was much lower than that of atoms, suggesting that atoms possessed a negative charge and were divisible. His model described... Continue reading "Atomic Model Evolution and Chemical Bonding" »

The Calvin Cycle

The Calvin cycle's objective is to fix carbon dioxide (CO2) using ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate. For every triose (3-carbon sugar), two are needed to form a glucose, requiring 3 ribulose and 3 CO2. A hexose (6-carbon sugar) requires 6 ribulose and 6 CO2.

Phases of the Calvin Cycle

1. Carbon Fixation: Ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate (5C) combines with CO2 to form a 6C compound. Enzyme: Ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase. This creates a highly unstable compound. Input: 1 CO2 per ribulose.
2. Reduction: The unstable 6C compound splits into two triose molecules (3C), specifically glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate. Input/Output: None.
3. Phosphorylation: Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate is phosphorylated using ATP, transforming into 1,3-bisphosphoglycerate. Input: 1

Q: Explain in detail the interaction of hydrophobic or hydrophobic effect. Is it a chemical bond? Explain your answer. Discuss the importance of this phenomenon in the formation and stability of biological membranes.
Hydrophobic Effect: The tendency of nonpolar molecules to cluster in polar solvents like H₂O for energetic reasons. Nonpolar substances tend to associate with one another in aqueous solutions because this results in fewer water molecules being involved in the cage that surrounds them. This situation is thermodynamically favored as it leads to lower order due to fewer water molecules (i.e., the entropy is higher) compared to when each polar molecule is surrounded by individual water molecules.
It is a chemical bond since it is... Continue reading "Understanding Hydrophobic Effects and Stereoisomerism in Chemistry" »

Properties of Ionic, Covalent, and Metallic Substances

Ionic Substances

Thermal Stability: Ionic compounds are typically solid at room temperature and pressure due to strong electrostatic attractions between ions, resulting in high melting and boiling points. The greater the charge of the ions and the smaller the distance between them, the higher the melting and boiling points.

Solubility: Polar solvents can reduce the attractive forces between ions by interposing solvent molecules. Each ion becomes surrounded by solvent molecules (solvation). Solubility decreases with increasing charge of the ions. Therefore, substances containing Group IIA metals (alkaline earth metals) are generally less soluble than those formed by Group IA metals (alkali... Continue reading "Ionic, Covalent, and Metallic Substances: Properties Compared" »

Emission and Absorption Spectra

The elements emit energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation, but only at a few specific frequencies. Elements also absorb specific frequencies when illuminated with electromagnetic radiation.

The de Broglie Hypothesis

The de Broglie hypothesis expanded the dual behavior of radiation, suggesting that matter, especially electrons, also exhibits both particle and wave aspects. According to this hypothesis, the energy of both matter and radiation is related to the frequency (f) of the wave associated with their movement through the expression E = hf. Thus, the wavelength associated with a material particle or photon momentum is λ = h / p.

The Uncertainty Principle

The principle of indeterminacy, or uncertainty... Continue reading "Atomic Spectra, Radioactivity, and Nuclear Reactions" »

Concentration Changes During Assessment

During an assessment, there must be an abrupt change in some property of the reaction mixture at the equivalence point. The property that changes depends on the volumetric reaction:

• Acid-base: An acid is titrated with a base, or vice versa. The abrupt change is due to a slight excess of one reactant, producing a sudden change in pH.
• Redox: An oxidant is titrated with a reducing agent, or vice versa. The abrupt change is due to a slight excess of one reactant, leading to a sudden change in the cell potential formed by two electrodes.
• Precipitation: An ionic substance is titrated with a precipitating reagent. The abrupt change is due to an excess of the precipitating reagent, which causes a sharp decrease in

Understanding Chemical Reactions

Law of Conservation of Mass

In a chemical reaction, mass is conserved. This means that the total mass of the products obtained is equal to the total mass of the reactants that have reacted.

Law of Conservation of Mass

Law of Constant Proportions

The reagents involved in a chemical reaction always react in fixed proportions.

Example: If hydrogen and oxygen react to form water, 1 g of hydrogen always reacts per 8 g of oxygen, and that is always going to be the proportions necessary to form water. The proportions are:

And so on. If there is more of one of them, it will stay without reacting. If we put 4 g of hydrogen and 24 g of oxygen, only 3 g of hydrogen... Continue reading "Understanding Chemical Reactions: Mass Conservation & Constant Proportions" »

Science

Science is a vast enterprise involving human effort to acquire solid, ascertainable truth. It is seen as a series of actions designed to obtain verifiable facts and is synonymous with social activity.

Objectivity

Objectivity originates from the word "object," referring to what is being discussed or investigated. It means attempting to obtain knowledge that accords with the reality of the object, describing or explaining it as it is, not as we want it to be.

Rationale

Rationale refers to the use of reason in science to obtain essential results. Scientists work with concepts of reasoning rather than feelings, pictures, or impressions.

Systematic Approach

A systematic approach means being organized in searches and results. It concerns building... Continue reading "Understanding Scientific Principles: Objectivity, Systems, and Atoms" »