Chemistry & Scientific Reasoning Flashcards
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Terms in this set
- Atomic Structure & the Periodic Table Atoms have protons (+) and neutrons in the nucleus with electrons (-) around it; the proton count is the atomic number and defines the element, while protons plus neutrons give the mass number.
- Ionic & Covalent Bonds Ionic bonds form when electrons TRANSFER from a metal to a nonmetal, creating attracted opposite ions (NaCl); covalent bonds form when two nonmetals SHARE electron pairs (H2O, CO2).
- Acids, Bases & pH Acids release hydrogen ions in solution and read below 7 on the pH scale; bases accept hydrogen ions (or release hydroxide) and read above 7; pure water is neutral at 7.
- States of Matter & Phase Changes Solids hold shape and volume, liquids hold volume but flow, gases fill their container; phase changes — melting, freezing, vaporization, condensation, sublimation, deposition — are physical changes driven by adding or removing energy.
- Chemical Reactions & Enzymes In a reaction, reactants rearrange into products while atoms are conserved (balanced equations); a catalyst speeds the reaction without being consumed, and enzymes are the body's protein catalysts.
- Scientific Method The cycle of investigation: observe, question, form a testable hypothesis, experiment, analyze data, and conclude — with a hypothesis written as a falsifiable if-then prediction.
- Experimental Design A sound experiment changes ONE independent variable, measures the dependent variable, holds everything else constant (controlled variables), and compares against a control group that receives no treatment.
- Correlation vs. Causation in Science Two variables moving together (correlation) does not prove one causes the other — a third factor may drive both, or the direction may be reversed; only controlled experiments establish causation.