Notes, summaries, assignments, exams, and problems for Chemistry

Chemistry Fundamentals

Physical Changes

Affect only physical properties like physical state. They do not alter the nature of the substance. Example: Frozen and liquid water have the same composition; nothing changes chemically.

Chemical Changes

Occur when there is a change in the composition of matter. Example: Paper converting into a gas (combustion).

Indicators of Chemical Change

• A gas is produced (bubbles are formed).
• There is a change in temperature due to heat exchange between the environment and reacting substances.
• A precipitate is formed (an insoluble solid that appears as a result of the reaction between solutions).
• The color changes.

Related Concepts

Heat: The interchange of thermal energy between objects or substances having different temperatures.... Continue reading "Fundamental Concepts in Chemistry" »

Distillation: Separating Liquids by Boiling Point

Distillation is a separation process for components of a mixture that have different boiling points. The mixture is heated until it reaches the lower boiling point. One of the substances then becomes vapor and can be separated. This vapor is cooled until it condenses and is collected in a vessel.

Crystallization: Forming Pure Solid Crystals

Crystallization is the process of forming solid crystals from a liquid solution, typically by evaporating the solvent. When all the liquid has evaporated, the solid crystals remain at the bottom of the vessel.

Paper Chromatography: Separating Organic Substances

Paper chromatography is used to separate several organic substances that travel through the chromatography... Continue reading "Chemical Separation Techniques and Mixture Classification" »

Paradigmatic (vertical) axis

The words organizations, groups, and Amnesty International are related to each other because they all belong to the same semantic group, a relationship known as hyponymy. Organizations serve as a hypernym (a more general or superordinate word), while human rights groups and Amnesty International serve as hyponyms (more specific words, in this case types of organizations). The other two kinds of paradigmatic relationships are those of synonymy (prompted = caused) and antonymy (weak/strong).

Syntagmatic (horizontal) axis
 Unlike the paradigmatic relationships, the syntagmatic relationships of a word are not about meaning. They are about the lexical company the word keeps (collocation) and the grammatical patterns

Its function is to complete the measurement circuit, providing a passage from the conductivity-sensing electrode, through the solution, to the reading device. The four parts form an electrical circuit.

Types of Electrodes

1. Hydrogen Electrode
2. Calomel Electrode: Consists of a mixture of mercury and mercurous chloride in contact with a potassium chloride solution.
3. Silver Chloride Electrode
4. Glass Electrode:
   • Parts: Lead-plated, resin-filled rod, internal electrode, sensitive glass.
5. Glass Electrode and Calomel: External calomel reference, two different cells connected in series.

Analysis Methodology

To analyze a substance using potentiometric techniques (anions, cations, organic and inorganic), the substance, or some of its possible complexes, must be electroactive... Continue reading "Potentiometric Analysis: Electrodes, Methods, and Factors" »

Understanding Chemical Bonds

Ionic Bond: This bond occurs when metallic elements interact with non-metal atoms. In this case, the metal atoms donate electrons to the non-metal atoms, becoming positively and negatively charged ions, respectively. These oppositely charged ions are attracted by strong electrical forces, being tightly bound and giving rise to an ionic compound. These electrical forces are called ionic bonds.

Covalent Bond: Covalent bonds are the forces that hold non-metallic atoms together. These atoms have many electrons in their outermost level (valence electrons) and tend to gain electrons rather than transfer them to acquire the stability of the electronic structure of a noble gas. Therefore, electrons from non-metallic atoms... Continue reading "Understanding Chemical Bonds: Ionic, Covalent, and Metallic" »

Understanding Atomic Structure and Models

What is a Subatomic Particle?

A subatomic particle is a particle smaller than an atom. It can be an elementary particle or a composite particle, in turn, composed of other subatomic particles such as quarks, which make up protons and neutrons.

Dalton's Atomic Theory: Foundations of Chemistry

Key Postulates of Dalton's Theory

1. Elements are composed of tiny particles called atoms.
2. All atoms of a given element are identical in mass and properties.
3. Atoms of one element differ from those of any other element; atoms of different elements can be distinguished by their relative atomic weights.
4. Atoms of one element combine with atoms of other elements to form chemical compounds. A given compound always has the same relative

Understanding Energy and Its Sources

What Is Energy?

Energy is the ability to perform work. Heat transfer is the process of energy spreading to an object. It occurs through several mechanisms:

• Convection: The circulation of fluids or gases.
• Radiation: The propagation of heat in the form of waves.

Forms of Energy

• Chemical Energy: Stored in the bonds of atoms.
• Electrical Energy: The energy that provides electricity.
• Nuclear Energy: The energy that holds particles together in an atom's nucleus.
• Radiant Energy: Carried by electromagnetic waves.
• Sound Energy: The energy produced by the displacement of waves.
• Kinetic Energy: The energy of motion.

Primary Energy Sources

Energy sources are natural resources from which we can obtain energy to produce heat, light,... Continue reading "Fundamentals of Energy: From Fossil Fuels to Nuclear Reactions" »

Vacuum electronics utilize various types of transducers for pressure measurement. These include bellows mechanical transducers, diaphragm transducers, thermal transducers, and ionization transducers.

Bellows and Diaphragm Transducers

Bellows and diaphragm transducers operate based on the pressure differential between atmospheric pressure and the process being measured. They can be offset relative to atmospheric pressure and calibrated in absolute units. These transducers are suitable for measuring high vacuum. They may be attached to strain gauges or capacitive elements for electrical output.

Thermal Transducers

Thermal transducers are based on the principle of proportionality between the energy dissipated from the hot surface of a filament heated... Continue reading "Vacuum Electronics: Bellows, Thermal, and Ionization Transducers" »

1. Origin of Fire

1.1. The Fire Tetrahedron

For a fire to occur, a chemical reaction between a fuel and an oxidizer is necessary, along with an activation energy. These three factors make up the fire triangle. The fire tetrahedron is formed by adding the chain reaction, which is a reaction that does not need external energy to be maintained.

• Fuel: A substance that reacts easily with an oxidizer to produce heat.
• Oxidizer: A substance that activates the fuel (e.g., oxygen).
• Activation Energy: The minimum energy required to initiate the combustion process.
• Chain Reaction: A self-sustaining reaction that does not require external energy.

Types of Fire

• Class A: Solid fuels like wood.
• Class B: Liquid or gas fuels like oil or acetylene.
• Class C: Electrical