Chemistry:

The Study of
Change
• INTRODUCTION
• THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD
• MATTER
• MEASUREMENT
• DIMENSIONAL ANALYSIS

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Chemistry: A Science for the 21st Century

• Health and Medicine

• Sanitation systems
• Surgery with anesthesia
• Vaccines and antibiotics
• Gene therapy

•Energy and the Environment

• Fossil fuels
• Solar energy
• Nuclear energy

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 Chemistry: A Science for the 21st Century

• Materials and Technology

• Polymers, ceramics, liquid crystals
• Room-temperature superconductors?
• Molecular computing?

• Food and Agriculture

• Genetically modified crops
• “Natural” pesticides
• Specialized fertilizers

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 The Study of Chemistry
Macroscopic Microscopic

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The Scientific Method

The scientific method is a

systematic approach to
research

A hypothesis is a
tentative explanation
for a set of
observations

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 The Scientific Method
• Make Observations
– Qualitative  Descriptions
– Quantitative  Measurements
• Formulate Hypotheses
– Possible Explanations for Observed
Characteristics or Behaviors
• Perform Experiments
– Test Hypothesis

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• Repeat the process until we get a well-tested explanation
• Theory  a set of assumptions put forth to explain some
aspect of the observed behavior of matter
– May need to be modified or discarded as new
information (observations) becomes known
• While Experimenting we may Observe the Same Behavior all
the time, and therefore be able to Predict this Behavior will
Always Occur in the Future
• Law  a generally observed behavior
– Without explanation as to why the behavior occurs!

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Primordial Helium and the Big Bang Theory
In 1940 George Gamow hypothesized that the universe
began with a gigantic explosion or big bang.

Experimental Support

• expanding universe
• cosmic background radiation
• primordial helium

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Chemistry is the study of matter and the
changes it undergoes
Matter is anything that occupies space and has mass.
A substance is a form of matter that has a definite
composition and distinct properties.

liquid nitrogen gold ingots silicon crystals

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A mixture is a combination of two or more substances in which
the substances retain their distinct identities.

1. Homogenous mixture – composition of the mixture is

the same throughout.

soft drink, milk, solder

2. Heterogeneous mixture – composition is not uniform

throughout.

cement,
iron filings in sand

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Physical means can be used to separate a mixture
into its pure components.

magnet

distillation

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An element is a substance that cannot be
separated into simpler substances by chemical
means.
• 114 elements have been identified
• 82 elements occur naturally on Earth
gold, aluminum, lead, oxygen, carbon, sulfur

• 32 elements have been created by scientists

technetium, americium, seaborgium

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A compound is a substance composed of atoms
of two or more elements chemically united in fixed
proportions.

Compounds can only be separated into their

pure components (elements) by chemical
means.

lithium fluoride quartz dry ice – carbon dioxide

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Classifications of Matter

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A Comparison: The Three States of Matter

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 Types of Changes

A physical change does not alter the composition or

identity of a substance.
sugar dissolving
ice melting
in water
A chemical change alters the composition or
identity of the substance(s) involved.

hydrogen burns
in air to form
water

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Matter - anything that occupies space and has mass.

mass – measure of the quantity of matter

SI unit of mass is the kilogram (kg)
1 kg = 1000 g = 1 x 103 g

weight – force that gravity exerts on an object

weight = c x mass A 1 kg bar will weigh

on earth, c = 1.0 1 kg on earth
on moon, c ~ 0.1 0.1 kg on moon

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International System of Units (SI)

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Volume – SI derived unit for volume is cubic meter (m 3)
1 cm3 = (1 x 10-2 m)3 = 1 x 10-6 m3
1 dm3 = (1 x 10-1 m)3 = 1 x 10-3 m3
1 L = 1000 mL = 1000 cm3 = 1 dm3
1 mL = 1 cm3

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 Density – SI derived unit for density is kg/m 3
1 g/cm3 = 1 g/mL = 1000 kg/m3

mass m
density = volume d= V

A piece of platinum metal with a density of 21.5

g/cm3 has a volume of 4.49 cm3. What is its mass?
m
d= V

m = d x V = 21.5 g/cm3 x 4.49 cm3 = 96.5 g

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A Comparison of Temperature Scales

K = 0C + 273.15

F = 9 x 0C + 32
0
5

273 K = 0 0C 32 0F = 0 0C
373 K = 100 0C 212 0F = 100 0C

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Convert 172.9 0F to degrees Celsius.

0
F= 9 x 0C + 32
5
0
F – 32 = 9 x 0C
5
5 x (0F – 32) = 0C
9
0
C = 5 x (0F – 32)
9
0
C = 5 x (172.9 – 32) = 78.3
9

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Accuracy – how close a measurement is to the true value
Precision – how close a set of measurements are to each other

accurate precise not accurate

& but &
precise not accurate not precise

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Dimensional Analysis Method of Solving Problems
• Dimensional Analysis is a way of converting one unit to another.
• It involves multiplication and division of conversion factors.
• You need to focus on the units.

1. Determine which unit conversion factor(s) are needed

2. Carry units through calculation
3. If all units cancel except for the desired unit(s), then the
problem was solved correctly.

given quantity x conversion factor = desired quantity

desired unit
given unit x = desired unit
given unit

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A conversion factor
is….
a fraction that always equals 1
ex. 1 kilogram equals 1000 grams

1 kg / 1000 g = 1

OR

1000 g / 1 kg = 1

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Dimensional Analysis Method of Solving Problems

How many mL are in 1.63 L?

Conversion Unit 1 L = 1000 mL

1000 mL
1.63 L x = 1630 mL
1L
1L L2
1.63 L x = 0.001630
1000 mL mL

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How to do a conversion – metric
to metric
Read the given problem. Determine the units you are converting to
(what units your answer should be in).
Ex. Convert 2500 g to kilograms.
Choose a conversion factor that includes both the unit given in the
problem and the unit you need to convert to. You could choose:
1 kg / 1000 g = 1 OR 1000 g / 1 kg = 1
Choose the conversion factor that will allow you to cross – cancel out the
units that you DO NOT want in the answer. (hint: put the units you want
for the answer in the numerator position!)

2500 grams x 1 kilogram

1000 grams
How to do a conversion – metric to
metric
Cancel out the like units (numerator/denominator).
Do the math. Multiply the fractions - reduce to its simplest form.

2500 grams x 1 kilogram = 2500 kilograms

1000 grams 1000

2500 kilograms = 2.5 kilograms 1000

Answer = 2.5 kilograms

6 Step Method
1. Read to find the given
2. Set up the problem
3. Find the conversion factor
4. Multiply and divide
5. Record answer
6. Check work
. How to do a conversion – metric
/english
Read the given problem. Determine the units you are converting to
(what units your answer should be in).
Ex. Convert 750 miles to kilometers.

Choose a conversion factor that includes both the unit given in the
problem and the unit you need to convert to. You could choose:
1 mile / 1.602 kilometers = 1
OR
1.602 kilometers / 1 mile = 1
How to do a conversion – metric
/english
Choose the conversion factor that will allow you to cross – cancel out
the units that you DO NOT WANT in the answer. (hint: put the units
you want for the answer in the numerator position!)

750 miles x 1.602 kilometers

1 mile

Do the math. Multiply the fractions - reduce to its simplest form.

1201.5 kilometers = 1201.5 kilometers

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The speed of sound in air is about 343 m/s. What is this
speed in miles per hour?

conversion units

meters to miles

seconds to hours

1 mi = 1609 m 1 min = 60 s 1 hour = 60 min

m 1 mi 60 s 60 min mi
343 x x x = 767
s 1609 m 1 min 1 hour hour

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Ex.

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Ex.

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