Chemistry Vocabulary

Periodic Trends, Quantum Mechanics, Atomic Theory, Ionic & Covalent Bonding

1) Group:
agroup(alsoknownasafamily)isacolumnofelementsintheperiodic
tableofthechemicalelements.

2) Periods:
referstoahorizontalrowofthePeriodictable

3) Element:
asubstancethatcannotbebrokendownbychemicalmeans.Elementsare
definedbythenumberofProtonstheypossess.

4) Compound:
asubstanceformedwhentwoormorechemicalelementsare
chemicallybondedtogether.Twotypesofchemicalbondscommonincompounds
arecovalentbondsandionicbonds

5) AtomicNumber:
Thenumberofprotonsorelectronsnormallyfoundinanatomof
agivenchemicalelement.

6) AtomicMass:
themassofanatomofachemicalelementexpressedinatomicmass
units.equivalenttothenumberofprotonsandneutronsintheato

7) Atom:
thedefiningstructureofanelement,whichcannotbebrokenbyany
chemicalmeans.Atypicalatomconsistsofanucleusofprotonsandneutronswith
electronsorbitingthisnucleus.

8) Ion:
anatomormoleculewithanetelectricchargeduetothelossorgainofoneor
moreelectrons.

9) ValenceElectron:
anelectronthatisassociatedwithanatom,andthatcan
participateintheformationofachemicalbond

10) Metal:
asolidmaterialthatistypicallyhard,shiny,malleable,fusible,andductile,
withgoodelectricalandthermalconductivity(e.g.,iron,gold,silver,copper,

11) Nonmetal:
anelementorsubstancethatisnotametal.

12)Metalloids:anelementthatisinbetweenametalandasolidnonmetal,usually
found

Inmetalloidboundary

13) NobleGas:
anyofthegaseouselementshelium,neon,argon,krypton,xenon,and
radon,occupyingGroup0(18)oftheperiodictable.Theyarebelievedtobetotally
unreactive

14) AlkaliMetal:
anyoftheelementslithium,sodium,potassium,rubidium,cesium,
andfrancium,oftheperiodictable.Theyareveryreactive,electropositive,
monovalentmetals

15) AlkalineEarthMetal:
Analkalineearthmetalisanelementbelongingtogroup

2of
thePeriodictable.
Theyarereactive,electropositive,divalentmetals,andformbasic
oxidesthatreactwithwatertoformcomparativelyinsolublehydroxides.

16) Halogen:
anyoftheelementsfluorine,chlorine,bromine,iodine,andastatine,
occupyinggroupVIIA(17)oftheperiodictable.Theyarereactivenonmetallic
elementsthatformstronglyacidiccompoundswithhydrogen,fromwhichsimple
saltscanbemade.

17) Cation:
cationisanionicspecieswithapositivecharge.
18) Anion:
Anionicspecieshavinganegativecharge.

19) ElectronAffinity:
ElectronaffinityreflectstheabilityofanAtomtoacceptan
electron.Itistheenergychangethatoccurswhenanelectronisaddedtoagaseous
atom.Atomswithstrongereffectivenuclearchargehavegreaterelectronaffinity.

20) Electronegativity(explainthetrend):
Apropertyofanatomwhichincreaseswithits
tendencytoattracttheelectronsofabond.
Asyougoacrossaperiodthe
electronegativityincreasesAsyougodownagroup,electronegativitydecreases.

21) IonizationEnergy(explainthetrend):
Ionizationenergyistheenergyneededto
removeanelectronfromagaseousatomorion.
theionizationenergyincreases
fromlefttorightintheperiodsandupthegroups.

22) AtomicRadii(explainthetrend):
Theatomicradiusisatermusedtodescribethe
sizeoftheatom,Goingfromlefttoright,atomicradiusdecreasesastheincreasing
numberofelectronspulltheshellclosertothepositivenucleus

23) Density:
Mass
perunitvolume.

24) MeltingPoint:
Thetemperatureatwhichasolidandliquidphasemaycoexistin
equilibrium.Thetermappliestopureliquidsandsolutions.

25) Reactivity:
Reactivitythenreferstotherateatwhichachemicalsubstancetendsto
undergoachemicalreactionintime.