YEAR 10 CHEMISTRY

Matter is composed of atoms which combine to make substances.

- Atom:
The smallest component of an element that not only can maintain its elements basic chemical properties, but it is the smallest
component of an element that has an chemical properties at all.
- Element:
The basic building blocks of matter and consists of only one kind of atom. It cannot be broken down and can exist either as atoms or
molecules.
- Compound:
A pure substance that consists of two or more different elements bound together chemically. It can be separated/broken down by
chemical reactions only and has properties that differ from the elements that make it up. It always contains the same ratio of
component atoms.
- Mixture:
Consists of two ore more different elements and/or compounds that have been physically fused and can be separated/broken down
by physical means.
In a homogeneous mixture the elements and/or compounds are mixed uniformly throughout the mixture. The properties are usually
retained from the original elements/compounds.
In a heterogeneous mixture, the elements and/or compounds are not mixed uniformly. The properties are not usually retained from
the original elements compounds.
- Molecule:
A molecule is a particle containing two or more atoms. If all of the atoms in the molecule are of the same type it is called an element.
Atoms are made of smaller particles and have a common structure.
Proton
Neutron
Electron

Mass (amu)
1
1
0.0005
Shell number
1
2
3
4

Mass (g)
1.673 x 10-24
1.675 x 10-24
9.109 x 10-28

Charge
+
o
-

Location
Nucleus
Nucleus
Outside Nucleus

Number of electrons
2
8
8
18

Atoms differ from each other in terms of their subatomic particles.

- Isotope:
Has the same atomic mass as its element equivalent with a different number of neutrons.
- Valency:
The number of electrons an atom must lose or gain from its outer shell to obtain a stable state.
When an atom loses electrons it has a deficiency of electrons and becomes positively charged.
When an atom gains electrons it has a excess of electrons and becomes negatively charged.
The periodic table is used to classify elements and display relationships between them.
- Groups:
The group number is the number assigned to the vertical columns of the structured list of all known elements in the periodic table.
Elements within the same group have the same number of electrons in their outer electron shells. Thus, all elements in the same
group have similar chemical properties.
- Periods:
The horizontal row on the periodic table going left to right. Elements in the same period have the same amount of energy levels as
they have the same amount of electrons in their outer shells and behave similarly.
- Metals:
Most elements on the periodic table are metals and are placed on the left side of the table. Typically shiny, good conductors of heat
and electricity, have a high density, and only melt at high temperatures. Metals are ductile and malleable, so their shape can be easily
changed into thin wires or sheets. Metals will corrode, gradually wearing away like rusting iron.
- Nonmetals:
On the right side of the periodic table. Their surface is dull and they are poor conductor of heat and electricity. As compared to metals,
they have low density and will melt at low temperatures. The shape of a nonmetal cannot be changed easily as they tend to be brittle
and will break.

- Metalloids:
Placed in between the metals and nonmetals and have the properties of both metals and nonmetals. They can be shiny or dull and
their shape is easily changed. Metalloids typically conduct heat and electricity better than nonmetals but not as well as metals.
- Reactivity:
The rate of an elements ability to undergo a chemical reaction.
- Radioactivity:
Emission of rays and/or particles due to the decay of an unstable nucleus.
Alpha decay releases positively charged particle made up of two neurons and two protons. It is the most energetic but least
penetrating form of radiation.
Beta decay releases high-energy electrons and is causes less damage than alpha decay, however has a stronger penetration.
Gamma radiation releases high-energy, short wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation that is emitted from the nucleus of an atom. It
is the strongest and most penetrating type of radiation.
Atoms form compounds by joining together and the outer electrons govern how this occurs.
- Conservation of Matter:
Conservation of matter is the theory that matter cannot be created nor destroyed, only change. This is seen in reactions when the
total matter before should equal the total matter after.
(Basically the same as the conservation of energy except with matter.)
- Compounds:
A pure substance that consists of two or more different elements bound together chemically. It can be separated/broken down by
chemical reactions only and has properties that differ from the elements that make it up. It always contains the same ratio of
component atoms.
- Ion:
Formed when an atom gains or loses an electron.
- Ionic Bonding:
When non-metal ions bond with metal ions.
- Covalent Bonding:
When a non-metal bonds with a non-metal. SHARING IS CARING.
- Radical:
Extremely unstable joined particles or atoms, hence they are likely to be highly reactive and/or highly radioactive, so they would go
through natural decay: losing subatomic particles.
A wide range of substances exists and they can be classified based on common properties.
- Polyatomic Ion:
Ions that consist of more than one atom. Eg. the nitrate ion, NO3-, contains one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms. Polyatomic
ions are usually covalently bonded to one another.
Chemical substances are named systematically based on the elements they contain.
- Organic Compounds:
Is any compound that contains carbon and other elements such as methane and ethanol.
- Inorganic Compounds:
Is any compound that does not contain carbon, salts or zinc etc.
- Oxides:
A compound that contains oxygen and at least one other element.
- Acids:
Contains the element hydrogen.
- Base:
Contains the radical hydroxide (OH) or are the oxides (O) of metal. A soluble base is called an alkali.
- Salt:
Formed (with water) from then neutralisation of acids and bases.
Different types of reactions exist and these have general forms and specific forms that can be represented by equations.
- Corrosion:
The disintegration of a material into its constituent atoms due to chemical reactions with its surroundings. In the most common use of
the word, this means a loss of electrons of metals reacting with water and oxygen
Iron exposed to moist air will react with oxygen in the air to form iron oxide.
This oxidation process is called rusting.
4Fe(s) + 3O2(g) -> 2Fe2O3(s)
- Redox
Oxidation means losing electrons and reduction means gaining electrons.
In the reaction between iron and copper(II) sulfate:
Fe(s) + Cu2+(aq) -> Fe2+(aq) + Cu(s)
The iron is oxidised, and the copper is reduced as iron loses electrons and copper gains simultaneously, therefore creating a redox
reaction.
- Neutralisation:
The chemical reaction between an acid and a base to produce salt and water.
Acid + Base -> Salt + Water
Eg. Hydrochloric acid + Sodium hydroxide -> Sodium chloride + Water
HCl + NaOH -> NaCl-1 + H2O

- Acids and carbonate:

The reaction between an acid and a carbonate will produce a salt, carbon dioxide, gas and water.
Acid + Carbonate -> Salt + Carbon dioxide + Water
Eg. Nitric acid + Sodium carbonate -> Sodium nitrate + Carbon dioxide + Water
2HNO3 + NA2CO3 -> 2NaNO2 + CO2 + H2O
- Acids and bases:
An acid reacts when the hydrogen (H) splits from the other atoms. This split hydrogen is known as a hydrogen ion (H+). If an acid is
strong, virtually 100% of the hydrogen will split away from the other atoms and vice versa.
A base reacts when the hydroxide (OH) splits from the other atoms. This split hydroxide is known as the hydroxide ion (OH-). If a base
is strong, the effect is the same as for acids, and vice versa.
- pH level:
The level of acidity or alkalinity of a chemical can be measured by its pH level. pH stands for the power of hydrogen and is a
measure of the strength of the hydrogen ions (H+). Strength refers to the percentage of hydrogen that exists.
- Universal Indicator:
Uses colours to show the acidity and/or basicity of a solution.
In correlation to the pH scale the universal indicators colours correspond like so:
0-4 = Red
4-5 = Orange
5-6 = Yellow
7-8 = Green
8-9 = Blue-Green
9-10 = Blue-Violet
10-14 = Violet
- Acids and metals
The reaction between an acid and a metal produces salt and hydrogen gas.
Acid + Metal -> Salt + Hydrogen gas
Eg. Sulfuric acid + Sodium -> Sodium sulfite + hydrogen gas
H2SO4 + 2Na ->Na2SO4 + H2
Reactions can be represented with balanced chemical equations which provide very specific information about the chemical
involved.
Different elements have different abilities to react, and this governs how they are used.
- Chemical activity:
The ability of a substance to undergo a chemical change.
- Reactivity/activity series
Empirical series of metals in order of reactivity from highest to lowest.
Metal
Potassium (K)
Sodium (Na)
Lithium (Li)
Strontium (Sr)
Calcium (Ca)
Magnesium (Mg)
Aluminium (Al)
Zinc (Zn)
Chromium (Cr)
Iron (Fe)
Cadmium (Cd)
Cobalt (Co)
Nickel (Ni)
Tin (Sn)
Lead (Pb)
Platinum (Pt)
Gold (Au)
Mercury (Hg)
Silver (Ag)
Copper (Cu)

Ion
K+
Na+
Li+
Sr2+
Ca2+
Mg2+
Al3+
Zn2+
Cr2+
Fe2+
Cd2+
Co2+
Ni2+
Sn2+
Pb2+
Pt2+
Au3+
Hg2+
Ag+
Cu2+

Reactivity

Extraction

React with water

Electrolysis

React with acids

Smelting with coke (fuel derived

from distillation of low-ash, lowsulfur coal)

Highly unreactive

Heat or physical extraction

Moles are used in chemistry to represent amounts of substance and can be used to determine quantities of reactants and
products of a reaction.