Lecture 01

Basic Concepts

1-1 NMAT Review: Inorganic and Organic Chemistry

 Chemistry

Chemistry is the study of matter,

its properties,
the changes that matter undergoes,
and
the energy associated with these changes.

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 Definitions

Matter anything that has both mass and volume

- the “stuff” of the universe: books, planets,
trees, professors, students

Composition the types and amounts of simpler

substances that make up a sample of
matter

Properties the characteristics that give each substance a

unique identity

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 Physical Properties
properties a substance shows by itself without
interacting with another substance

- color, melting point, boiling point, density

Chemical Properties
properties a substance shows as it interacts
with, or transforms into, other substances

- flammability, corrosiveness

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 The States of Matter

A solid has a fixed shape and volume. Solids may be hard

or soft, rigid or flexible.

A liquid has a varying shape that conforms to the shape of

the container, but a fixed volume. A liquid has an upper
surface.

A gas has no fixed shape or volume and therefore does not

have a surface.

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 Temperature and Change of State

• A change of state is a physical change.

– Physical form changes, composition does not.
• Changes in physical state are reversible
– by changing the temperature.
• A chemical change cannot simply be reversed by a
change in temperature.

1-6 NMAT Review: Inorganic and Organic Chemistry

 Sample Problem Distinguishing Between Physical
and Chemical Change

PROBLEM: Decide whether each of the following processes is

primarily a physical or a chemical change, and explain
briefly:

(a) Frost forms as the temperature drops on a humid winter night.

(b) A cornstalk grows from a seed that is watered and fertilized.
(c) A match ignites to form ash and a mixture of gases.
(d) Perspiration evaporates when you relax after jogging.
(e) A silver fork tarnishes slowly in air.

PLAN: “Does the substance change composition or just change

form?”

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 Sample Problem

SOLUTION:

(a) Frost forms as the temperature drops on a humid winter night.

physical change

(b) A cornstalk grows from a seed that is watered and fertilized.

chemical change

(c) A match ignites to form ash and a mixture of gases.

chemical change

(d) Perspiration evaporates when you relax after jogging.

physical change
(e) A silver fork tarnishes slowly in air.
chemical change

1-8 NMAT Review: Inorganic and Organic Chemistry

 Energy in Chemistry

Energy is the ability to do work.

Potential Energy
is energy due to the position of an object.

Kinetic Energy
is energy due to the movement of an object.

Total Energy = Potential Energy + Kinetic Energy

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 Energy Changes

Lower energy states are more stable and are favored

over higher energy states.

Energy is neither created nor destroyed

– it is conserved
– and can be converted from one form to another.

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 Figure 1.4 The scientific approach to understanding nature.

Observations Natural phenomena and measured

events; can be stated as a natural law if
universally consistent.

Hypothesis Tentative proposal that explains

Hypothesis is observations.
revised if
experimental results
do not support it. Experiment Procedure to test hypothesis; measures
one variable at a time.

Set of conceptual assumptions that

Model (Theory)
explains data from accumulated
Model is altered if
experiments; predicts related phenomena.
predicted events do
not support it.
Further Tests predictions based on
Experiment model

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 Chemical Problem Solving

• All measured quantities consist of

– a number and a unit.
• Units are manipulated like numbers:
– 3 ft x 4 ft = 12 ft2
350 mi = 50 mi or 50 mi∙h-1
–
7h 1h

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 Conversion Factors

A conversion factor is a ratio of equivalent quantities

used to express a quantity in different units.

The relationship 1 mi = 5280 ft

gives us the conversion factor:

1 mi 5280 ft
= =1
5280 ft 5280 ft

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 A conversion factor is chosen and set up so that all
units cancel except those required for the answer.

PROBLEM: The height of the Angel Falls is 3212 ft. Express this
quantity in miles (mi) if 1 mi = 5280 ft.

PLAN: Set up the conversion factor so that ft will cancel and the
answer will be in mi.

SOLUTION: 1 mi
3212 ft x = 0.6083 mi
5280 ft

1-14 NMAT Review: Inorganic and Organic Chemistry

 Sample Problem Converting Units of Length

PROBLEM: To wire your stereo equipment, you need 325 centimeters

(cm) of speaker wire that sells for $0.15/ft. What is the
price of the wire?
PLAN: We know the length (in cm) of wire and cost per length
($/ft). We have to convert cm to inches and inches to feet.
Then we can find the cost for the length in feet.

length (cm) of wire

2.54 cm = 1 in
length (in) of wire
12 in = 1 ft
length (ft) of wire
1 ft = $0.15
Price ($) of wire
1-15
 Sample Problem

SOLUTION:
Length (in) = length (cm) x conversion factor
1 in
= 325 cm x = 128 in
2.54 cm
Length (ft) = length (in) x conversion factor
1 ft
= 128 in x = 10.7 ft
12 in
Price ($) = length (ft) x conversion factor

$ 0.15
= 10.7 ft x = $ 1.60
1 ft

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1-18 NMAT Review: Inorganic and Organic Chemistry
 Table 1.3 Common SI-English Equivalent Quantities

Quantity SI to English Equivalent English to SI Equivalent

Length 1 km = 0.6214 mile 1 mi = 1.609 km

1 m = 1.094 yd 1 yd = 0.9144 m
1 m = 39.37 inches 1 ft = 0.3048 m
1 cm = 0.3937 inch 1 in = 2.54 cm

Volume 1 cubic meter (m3) = 35.31 ft3 1 ft3 = 0.02832 m3

1 dm3 = 0.2642 gal 1 gal = 3.785 dm3
1 dm3 = 1.057 qt 1 qt = 0.9464 dm3
1 cm3 = 0.03381 fluid ounce 1 qt = 946.4 cm3
1 fluid ounce = 29.57 cm3

Mass 1 kg = 2.205 lb 1 lb = 0.4536 kg

1 g = 0.03527 ounce (oz) 1 oz = 28.35 g

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 Sample Problem Converting Units of Mass

PROBLEM: Many international computer communications are carried out

by optical fibers in cables laid along the ocean floor. If one
strand of optical fiber weighs 1.19 x 10-3 lb/m, what is the
mass (in kg) of a cable made of six strands of optical fiber,
each long enough to link New York and Paris (8.94 x 103
km)?
PLAN: The sequence of steps may vary but essentially we need to
find the length of the entire cable and convert it to mass.
length (km) of fiber
1 km = 103 m
length (m) of fiber
1 m = 1.19 x 10-3 lb
mass (lb) of fiber
6 fibers = 1 cable 2.205 lb = 1 kg

mass (lb) of cable Mass (kg) of cable

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 Sample Problem 1.5

SOLUTION:
103 m
8.84 x 103 km x = 8.84 x 106 m
1 km
1.19 x 10 -3 lb
8.84 x 106 m x = 1.05 x 104 lb
1m
1.05 x 104 lb 6 fibers
x = 6.30 x 104 lb/cable
1 fiber 1 cable

6.30 x 104 lb 1 kg
x = 2.86 x 104 kg/cable
1 cable 2.205 lb

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 Density

mass
density =
volume

At a given temperature and pressure, the density of a

substance is a characteristic physical property and has a
specific value.

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 Sample Problem Calculating Density from Mass and Length

PROBLEM: Lithium, a soft, gray solid with the lowest density of any
metal, is a key component of advanced batteries. A slab
of lithium weighs 1.49x103 mg and has sides that are
20.9 mm by 11.1 mm by 11.9 mm. Find the density of
lithium in g/cm3.
PLAN: Density is expressed in g/cm3 so we need the mass in g
and the volume in cm3.
lengths (mm) of sides
10 mm = 1 cm
mass (mg) of Li lengths (cm) of sides
103 mg = 1 g multiply lengths
mass (g) of Li volume (cm3)
divide mass by volume

density (g/cm3) of Li
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 Sample Problem 1.6

SOLUTION:
1g
1.49x103 mg x 3
= 1.49 g
10 mg

1 cm
20.9 mm x = 2.09 cm
10 mm
Similarly the other sides will be 1.11 cm and 1.19 cm, respectively.

Volume = 2.09 cm x 1.11 cm x 1.19 cm = 2.76 cm3

1.49 g
density of Li = = 0.540 g/cm3
2.76 cm3

1-25 NMAT Review: Inorganic and Organic Chemistry

 Temperature Scales

Kelvin ( K ) - The “absolute temperature scale” begins at

absolute zero and has only positive values. Note that the kelvin is
not used with the degree sign (°).

Celsius ( oC ) - The Celsius scale is based on the freezing and

boiling points of water. This is the temperature scale used most
commonly around the world. The Celsius and Kelvin scales use
the same size degree although their starting points differ.

Fahrenheit ( oF ) – The Fahrenheit scale is commonly used in

the US. The Fahrenheit scale has a different degree size and
different zero points than both the Celsius and Kelvin scales.

1-26 NMAT Review: Inorganic and Organic Chemistry

 Temperature Conversions

T (in K) = T (in oC) + 273.15

T (in oC) = T (in K) - 273.15

T (in °F) = 9 T (in °C) + 32

5

T (in °C) = [T (in °F) – 32] 5

9

1-27 NMAT Review: Inorganic and Organic Chemistry

 Sample Problem Converting Units of Temperature

PROBLEM: A child has a body temperature of 38.7°C, and normal

body temperature is 98.6°F. Does the child have a fever?
What is the child’s temperature in kelvins?

PLAN: We have to convert °C to °F to find out if the child has a

fever. We can then use the °C to Kelvin relationship to find
the temperature in Kelvin.
SOLUTION:
9 (38.7 °C) + 32 = 101.7 °F
Converting from °C to °F
5
Yes, the child has a fever.

Converting from °C to K 38.7 °C + 273.15 = 311.8 K

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 Significant Figures

Figure 1-11
Determining the number of significant figures in a quantity

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 Sample Problem Determining the Number of Significant Figures

PROBLEM: For each of the following quantities, underline the zeros

that are significant figures (sf), and determine the number
of significant figures in each quantity. For (d) to (f),
express each in exponential notation first.
(a) 0.0030 L (b) 0.1044 g (c) 53,069 mL

(d) 0.00004715 m (e) 57,600. s (f) 0.0000007160 cm3

PLAN: We determine the number of significant figures by counting

digits, paying particular attention to the position of zeros in
relation to the decimal point, and underline zeros that are
significant.

1-30 NMAT Review: Inorganic and Organic Chemistry

 Sample Problem

SOLUTION:
(a) 0.0030 L has 2 sf (b) 0.1044 g has 4 sf

(c) 53,069 mL has 5 sf

(d) 0.00004715 m = 4.715x10-5 m has 4 sf

(e) 57,600. s = 5.7600x104 s has 5 sf

(f) 0.0000007160 cm3 = 7.160x10-7 cm3 has 4 sf

1-31 NMAT Review: Inorganic and Organic Chemistry

 Precision, Accuracy, and Error

Precision refers to how close the measurements in a

series are to each other.
Accuracy refers to how close each measurement is to
the actual value.
Systematic error produces values that are either all
higher or all lower than the actual value.
This error is part of the experimental system.

Random error produces values that are both higher

and lower than the actual value.

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 Figure 1.9 Precision and accuracy in a laboratory calibration.

precise and accurate

precise but not accurate

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 End of Lecture 1
Thank you for
Listening!

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