Glossary

Chapter 2
Atom

The smallest particle of an element

Balanced
chemical
equation

A chemical equation in which the total number of atoms of each kind is the same in reactants and
products

Chemical
compounds

Pure substances composed of atoms combined in definite, fixed ratios

Chemical
equation

A representation of a chemical reaction by the formulas of reactants and products

Chemical
formula

Written combination of element symbols that represents the atoms combined in a chemical compound

Chemical
property

A property that is observable in chemical reactions and changes in the identity of one or more reactants

Chemical
reaction

A process in which one or more pure substances are converted to one or more different pure substances

Coefficient

In a chemical equation, a number written before a formula to balance the equation

Density

Mass per unit volume

Diatomic
molecules

Molecules composed of two atoms

Element

A pure substance composed of only one kind of atom

Energy

The capacity for doing work or causing change

Heterogeneous
mixture

Matter that is not uniform in composition

Homogeneous
mixture

Matter that is uniform in composition

Inorganic
compound

Any compound other than an organic compound

Kinetic energy

The energy of objects in motion

Macroscopic

Large enough to be seen, felt, and handled

Mass

A measure of the quantity of matter in an object

Microscopic

Visible only with the aid of a microscope

Molecular
formula

A chemical formula that illustrates molecules with atomic symbols and subscripts

Molecule

The smallest chemical unit of a compound

Nanoscopic

In the range of the nanometer (0.000000001 m)

Organic
compound

A derivative of the carbon and hydrogen compound

Physical
property

A property that can be observed without changing the identity of a substance

Potential
energy

Energy in storage by virtue of position or arrangement

Products

Substances formed as the result of a chemical reaction

Pure substance Matter with a uniform and fixed composition at the nanoscopic level

Qualitative

Describes information that is not numerical

Quantitative

Describes information that is numerical

Reactants

Substances that undergo chemical change in a chemical reaction

Solution

A homogeneous mixture that may be in the solid, liquid, or gaseous state

Structural
formula

A chemical formula that illustrates the connections between atoms in molecules as straight lines

Subscripts

In chemical formulas, numbers written below the line (for example, 2 in H2O) to show numbers or
ratios of atoms in a compound