Review of Fundamentals

Appendix A.1, A.3, B.1

 Outline
• Introduction: What is Chemistry
• The Properties and Transformations of Matter
• The Scientific Method
• The Units of Measurement
• Scientific Notation
• Significant Figures
• Dimensional Analysis
Introduction: What is Chemistry?

• Chemistry is the study of matter, its properties, and the

mechanisms involved in its changes.
Matter and Its Properties and
Transformations

• Matter is any substance that has mass and occupies space.

• The fundamental building blocks of matter are atoms, which

cannot be chemically broken down into smaller components.

• Atoms combine to form larger molecules and compounds.

• Matter comes in three different forms, or states, known as

gases, solids and liquids.
 The Scientific Method

Law: A concise statement or mathematical equation about a fundamental

relationship or regularity of nature
 The Law of Conservation of Mass

The total mass remains constant during a chemical change (chemical

reaction).

Heating 2.53 grams of metallic mercury in air produces 2.73 grams of

a red-orange residue. Assume that the chemical change is the
reaction of mercury with O2 in the air. Determine the mass of oxygen
reacted.

mass of mercury + mass of oxygen = mass of red-orange residue

The Units of Measurement

Property English units SI units

Mass pounds (lbs) kilogram (kg)
Length yard (yd) Meter (m)
Volume gallon (gal) liter (L)
Temperature Fahrenheit Kelvins (K)
(°F)
The Temperature Scales
Prefix Multipliers
 Scientific Notation

• Scientific notation allows us to conveniently express very small or very large

numbers.

 
__________ × 10---- an integer

a decimal number ≥ 1 but < 10

• If the power > 1, the overall magnitude is >1 for positive values.

4321.1 = 4.3211x103 = 4.3211E3

• If the power < 1, the overall magnitude is between 0 and 1 for positive values.

0.053244 = 5.3244x10-2 = 5.3244E-2

 Measurements: Precision vs Accuracy

Precision
The closeness of the set of values obtained from repeated measurement
of the same quantity

Accuracy
The closeness of a single measurement to its true value
 Significant Figures: A Measurement of
Precision
2.55 inches

2.6 inches 19.9°C, 66 °F

Report all measurements to 1 digit past the last digit of certainty.

In other words, the rightmost digit is always estimated.
 Identifying Significant Figures: Some Rules

• All nonzero digits are significant, including all digits for

a value expressed in scientific notation. For example in
the number 432, there are (3) sig figs. In 1.1450×105,
there are (5) sig figs.

• A zero is significant if it is in-between nonzero digits.

For example, in the number 50002, all (5) digits are
significant.

• A zero is significant if it is a trailing zero to the right of a

decimal number. For example, in the number 432.00, all
(5) digits are significant.
 Identifying Significant Figures: Some Rules

• A zero is not significant if it comes at the end of a

number without a decimal. For example, in the number
4130, the zero does not count and there are (3) sig figs,
not (4).

• A zero is not significant if it starts a decimal number less

than 1. For example, in 0.0004312, none of the zeroes
count and there are only (4) sig figs.
Exact Numbers

Quantities whose precision are considered infinite are known as

exact numbers.

Equality statements and conversion factors.

• 4 laps = 1 mile
• 2.54 cm = 1 inch

Countable quantities.
• 32 students
• 9 cars
Significant Figures in Calculations

For addition and subtraction:

 
The number of decimal places in the final answer equals the
fewest number of decimal places from the combined numbers.

1.34561 – 0.341 = 1.00461 ~ 1.005

(5 decimal places) (3 places) (report answer to 3 places)
Significant Figures in Calculations

For multiplication and division:

 
The number of sig figs in the final answer equals the fewest
number of sig figs present from the contributing factors.

3.451 × 0.00671 = 0.02315621 ~ 0.0232

(4 sf) (3 sf) (report answer to 3 sf)
Significant Figures in Calculations

For combined mathematical operations:

 
Carry all digits until the end. “Tag” estimated digits after each
step, but do not round until the very end.

(1.32451 – 0.341)(1.0054)

0.98351(1.0054)

0.988820954 ~ 0.989
Dimensional Analysis: The Use of Conversion
Factors

Convert 8.91 inches to centimeters, where 1 inch = 2.54 cm

Convert 324 centimeters to inches, where 1 inch = 2.54 cm

Dimensional Analysis and Prefix Multipliers

Convert 321 nm to m.
In the conversion factor, the prefix multiplier goes with the
prefixless unit.

Convert 341 dL to mL.

 Dimensional Analysis and Units Raised to a Power

Convert 32 in3 to cm3.

Sometimes, you have to make your own conversion factor.

Given: 1 inch = 2.54 cm

(1 in)3 = (2.54 cm)3

 
13 in3 = 2.543 cm3
 
1 in3 = 16.4 cm3
 Density
• A substance’s density is the ratio of its mass to its volume.

• Density is a physical property that is unique to each substance

and is temperature dependent.

• At 20°C, the density of liquid water is 0.99823 g/mL.

• Density can be used as a conversion factor to relate mass and

volume.

How many mL does 32.1 grams of water occupy at 20°C?

 Density: Will an object float or sink in water?
• Substances with a density < water’s will float.

• Substances with a density > water’s will sink.

 Density: Method of Water Displacement
• The volume of water that an object displaces equals the volume of the
object.

A 5.0 g object is placed into a

graduated cylinder with water.

90.0 mL – 65.0 mL = 25.0 mL

Density = 5.0 g / 25.0 mL = 0.20 g/mL