Chemistry Basics and the Periodic Table

Matter: Anything that has mass and occupies space.
Atoms: The basic unit of matter; made up of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Elements: Pure substances that cannot be broken down; defined by the number of protons (atomic number).
Compounds: Substances formed from two or more elements chemically bonded together.

Groups/Families: Vertically arranged columns; elements have similar properties.
Periods: Horizontally arranged rows; properties change progressively across a period.
Key Groups:
- Alkali metals (Group 1)
- Alkaline earth metals (Group 2)
- Transition metals (Groups 3-12)
- Halogens (Group 17)
- Noble gases (Group 18)

Ionic Bonds: Formed by the transfer of electrons from one atom to another, resulting in attraction between oppositely charged ions.
Covalent Bonds: Formed by the sharing of electrons between atoms.
Metallic Bonds: Characterized by a 'sea of electrons' that are delocalized, allowing metals to conduct electricity.

Reactants and Products: Reactants are substances that go into a chemical reaction, and products are what come out.
Types of Reactions:
- Synthesis: Two or more substances combine to form a new compound.
- Decomposition: A single compound breaks down into two or more simpler products.
- Single Replacement: An element replaces another in a compound.
- Double Replacement: Exchange of ions between two compounds.
- Combustion: Reaction of a substance with oxygen to produce heat and light.

Solids: Have a fixed shape and volume; particles are closely packed.
Liquids: Have a fixed volume but can change shape; particles are less tightly packed than solids.
Gases: Have no fixed shape or volume; particles are widely spaced and move freely.

Hydrocarbons: Compounds made solely of carbon and hydrogen.
Functional Groups: Specific groups of atoms that impart characteristic chemical properties (e.g., hydroxyl, carboxyl, amine).

Moles: A unit of amount in chemistry, defined as (6.022 \times 10^{23}) entities (Avogadro's number).
Stoichiometry: The calculation of reactants and products in chemical reactions.
Concentration: Measure of the amount of solute in a given volume of solution.

Law of Conservation of Mass: Mass cannot be created or destroyed in a chemical reaction.
Gas Laws: Describe the behavior of gases (e.g., Boyle's Law, Charles's Law).

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE): Goggles, gloves, lab coats.
Proper Handling of Chemicals: Following Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) guidelines; proper disposal protocols.

Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space.
Atoms are the fundamental building blocks of matter, composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons.
Elements are pure substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances. They are defined by their atomic number, which is the number of protons in their nucleus.
Compounds are formed when two or more different elements combine chemically.

The periodic table organizes elements by their atomic number and recurring properties.
Groups/Families, the vertical columns, contain elements with similar chemical properties.
Periods, the horizontal rows, show a trend in properties as you move across the row.
Key Groups include:
- Alkali metals (Group 1), highly reactive metals.
- Alkaline earth metals (Group 2), reactive metals.
- Transition metals (Groups 3-12), generally good conductors of heat and electricity.
- Halogens (Group 17), highly reactive nonmetals.
- Noble gases (Group 18), unreactive gases.

Ionic bonds occur when one atom transfers an electron to another, creating ions with opposite charges that attract each other.
Covalent bonds involve the sharing of electrons between atoms.
Metallic bonds are characterized by a "sea of electrons" that can move freely among the metal atoms, making metals good conductors of electricity and heat.

Reactants are the starting substances in a chemical reaction.
Products are the substances produced by a chemical reaction.
Types of Reactions include:
- Synthesis reactions combine two or more substances to form a new compound.
- Decomposition reactions break down a single compound into two or more simpler substances.
- Single replacement reactions involve one element replacing another in a compound.
- Double replacement reactions involve the exchange of ions between two compounds.
- Combustion reactions involve the rapid reaction between a substance and oxygen, releasing heat and light.

Solids have a fixed shape and volume due to tightly packed particles.
Liquids have a fixed volume but can change shape; particles are less tightly packed than solids.
Gases have no fixed shape or volume, with widely spaced particles that move freely.

Hydrocarbons are compounds composed only of carbon and hydrogen atoms.
Functional groups are specific groups of atoms that give molecules characteristic chemical properties (e.g., hydroxyl, carboxyl, amine).

Moles are a unit of amount in chemistry, representing (6.022 \times 10^{23}) entities (Avogadro's number).
Stoichiometry involves calculating the amounts of reactants and products in a chemical reaction.
Concentration is the amount of solute dissolved in a given volume of solution.

Law of Conservation of Mass: In a chemical reaction, mass is neither created nor destroyed.
Gas Laws describe the behavior of gases, including Boyle's Law, Charles's Law, and the Ideal Gas Law.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) such as goggles, gloves, and lab coats should be worn when handling chemicals.
Proper Handling of Chemicals includes following guidelines from Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) and proper disposal protocols.