1: Chemistry, Matter, and Measurement
- Page ID
- 15920
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\(\newcommand{\avec}{\mathbf a}\) \(\newcommand{\bvec}{\mathbf b}\) \(\newcommand{\cvec}{\mathbf c}\) \(\newcommand{\dvec}{\mathbf d}\) \(\newcommand{\dtil}{\widetilde{\mathbf d}}\) \(\newcommand{\evec}{\mathbf e}\) \(\newcommand{\fvec}{\mathbf f}\) \(\newcommand{\nvec}{\mathbf n}\) \(\newcommand{\pvec}{\mathbf p}\) \(\newcommand{\qvec}{\mathbf q}\) \(\newcommand{\svec}{\mathbf s}\) \(\newcommand{\tvec}{\mathbf t}\) \(\newcommand{\uvec}{\mathbf u}\) \(\newcommand{\vvec}{\mathbf v}\) \(\newcommand{\wvec}{\mathbf w}\) \(\newcommand{\xvec}{\mathbf x}\) \(\newcommand{\yvec}{\mathbf y}\) \(\newcommand{\zvec}{\mathbf z}\) \(\newcommand{\rvec}{\mathbf r}\) \(\newcommand{\mvec}{\mathbf m}\) \(\newcommand{\zerovec}{\mathbf 0}\) \(\newcommand{\onevec}{\mathbf 1}\) \(\newcommand{\real}{\mathbb R}\) \(\newcommand{\twovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\ctwovec}[2]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\threevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cthreevec}[3]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfourvec}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\fivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{r}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\cfivevec}[5]{\left[\begin{array}{c}#1 \\ #2 \\ #3 \\ #4 \\ #5 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\mattwo}[4]{\left[\begin{array}{rr}#1 \amp #2 \\ #3 \amp #4 \\ \end{array}\right]}\) \(\newcommand{\laspan}[1]{\text{Span}\{#1\}}\) \(\newcommand{\bcal}{\cal B}\) \(\newcommand{\ccal}{\cal C}\) \(\newcommand{\scal}{\cal S}\) \(\newcommand{\wcal}{\cal W}\) \(\newcommand{\ecal}{\cal E}\) \(\newcommand{\coords}[2]{\left\{#1\right\}_{#2}}\) \(\newcommand{\gray}[1]{\color{gray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\lgray}[1]{\color{lightgray}{#1}}\) \(\newcommand{\rank}{\operatorname{rank}}\) \(\newcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\col}{\text{Col}}\) \(\renewcommand{\row}{\text{Row}}\) \(\newcommand{\nul}{\text{Nul}}\) \(\newcommand{\var}{\text{Var}}\) \(\newcommand{\corr}{\text{corr}}\) \(\newcommand{\len}[1]{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\newcommand{\bbar}{\overline{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bhat}{\widehat{\bvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\bperp}{\bvec^\perp}\) \(\newcommand{\xhat}{\widehat{\xvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\vhat}{\widehat{\vvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\uhat}{\widehat{\uvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\what}{\widehat{\wvec}}\) \(\newcommand{\Sighat}{\widehat{\Sigma}}\) \(\newcommand{\lt}{<}\) \(\newcommand{\gt}{>}\) \(\newcommand{\amp}{&}\) \(\definecolor{fillinmathshade}{gray}{0.9}\)The study of chemistry will open your eyes to a fascinating world. Chemical processes are continuously at work all around us. They happen as you cook and eat food, strike a match, shampoo your hair, and even read this page. Chemistry is called the central science because a knowledge of chemical principles is essential for other sciences. You might be surprised at the extent to which chemistry pervades your life.
- 1.0: Prelude to Chemistry, Matter, and Measurement
- This page recounts a near-fatal overdose incident in April 2003 involving an 8-year-old boy who received 23 mg of morphine instead of the prescribed 2-3 mg due to a nurse's error. The page underscores the critical need for precise communication of quantities and measurements in medicine and everyday life, emphasizing the importance of mastering quantity expression in chemistry to avert mistakes across different scenarios.
- 1.1: What is Chemistry?
- This page discusses chemistry as the study of matter and its properties, highlighting its connections to biology and geology. It outlines the scientific method, outlining the process of hypothesis and experimentation, and touches on the historical roots of chemistry from alchemy. Overall, it emphasizes the significance of chemistry and the scientific method in exploring and understanding the natural world.
- 1.2: The Classification of Matter
- This page discusses matter classification, covering its physical and chemical properties, and differentiating between elements, compounds, and mixtures. It describes the three phases of matter—solid, liquid, and gas—and details phase changes due to temperature variations.
- 1.3: Measurements
- This page emphasizes the critical role of expressing quantities with both a number and a unit to avoid confusion, particularly in everyday life and medical contexts. It highlights the potential dangers of omitting units and underscores the importance of understanding measurement units in chemistry for accurate communication. The text includes practical exercises to help readers practice identifying numbers and units.
- 1.4: Expressing Numbers - Scientific Notation
- This page explains scientific notation for expressing large or small numbers efficiently, including techniques for conversion to and from standard form. It outlines rules for proper notation and emphasizes the significance of placing one non-zero digit before the decimal point. The text also addresses the use of positive and negative powers of ten and provides guidance on calculator input.
- 1.5: Expressing Numbers - Significant Figures
- This page details the concept of significant figures in scientific measurements, highlighting their role in maintaining precision. It explains rules for identifying significant figures, rounding methods, and applies these to various mathematical operations like multiplication and addition. The text also covers converting numbers into scientific notation and underscores the necessity of manually applying significant figure rules, as calculators do not automatically consider them.
- 1.6: The International System of Units
- This page explains the International System of Units (SI), focusing on base units like meters and kilograms, and their significance in science. It contrasts SI with the U.S. English unit system and stresses accurate unit conversions. Derived units like volume are explored, along with energy measurements in joules and calories, and the concept of density.
- 1.7: Converting Units
- This page emphasizes the significance of unit conversions across various fields, particularly nursing and pharmacy. It covers the importance of understanding conversion factors and significant figures, providing practical examples such as calculating the mass and volume of mercury. The role of pharmacists is highlighted, detailing their educational background and responsibilities in advising on medication.
- 1.8: Dosage Calculations
- This page emphasizes the critical need for accurate drug dosages to ensure effective treatment and avoid adverse effects. It discusses dosage measurement, guidelines for prescribing and dispensing, and calculations based on patient weight or surface area. Examples illustrate dosage calculations for patients, including conversions from pounds to kilograms.
- 1.E: Chemistry, Matter, and Measurement (Exercises)
- This page discusses material properties, including chemical and physical attributes, classifications of substances as elements, compounds, or mixtures, and phase changes such as melting, boiling, and freezing. It includes definitions, examples of heterogeneous and homogeneous mixtures, and terminology related to phase transitions.
- 1.S: Chemistry, Matter, and Measurement (Summary)
- This page summarizes key concepts in chemistry, including definitions of matter, properties, substances, and the importance of measurements using the SI system. Significant figures and scientific notation are essential for calculations, supported by conversion factors, especially in dosages. The understanding of these fundamentals reinforces the scientific method's application in studying the natural world.
Thumbnail: Two small test tubes held in spring clamps. (CC BY-SA 3.0; mitchell125).