Chemical Reactions and Fundamental Laws of Chemistry
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Chemical Reactions and Fundamental Principles
A chemical reaction is any process in which substances, known as reactants, transform into different substances called products. According to the Law of Conservation of Mass (Lavoisier's Law), the total mass must remain constant throughout the process.
Chemical Equations and Stoichiometry
A chemical equation is a symbolic representation of a reaction. If the number of atoms for each element is not equal on both sides, a stoichiometric coefficient must be added to balance the equation.
The performance (yield) of an equation is usually expressed as a percentage, representing the ratio of the amount of product actually obtained compared to the amount obtained theoretically.
Fundamental Laws of Chemistry
- Law of Conservation of Mass (Lavoisier): The total mass remains constant throughout a chemical process.
- Law of Definite Proportions (Proust): When two or more elements combine to form a given compound, they always do so in a constant mass ratio.
Key Chemical Definitions
- Molecule: A grouping of discrete atoms.
- Mole: The standard unit for the amount of substance.
- Homogeneous Mixture: A mixture that has the same appearance and properties in all its parts.
- Heterogeneous Mixture: A mixture that does not have uniform appearance or properties, as the constituent substances can be distinguished.