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1.13.1: Chemistry, Matter, and Measurement (Exercises)

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    These are homework exercises taken from Chapter 1 of the Ball et al. "The Basics of GOB Chemistry" Textmap.

    Exercises

    1. Based on what you know, which fields are branches of science?

      1. meteorology (the study of weather)
      2. astrophysics (the physics of planets and stars)
      3. economics (the study of money and monetary systems)
      4. astrology (the prediction of human events based on planetary and star positions)
      5. political science (the study of politics)

    2. Based on what you know, which fields are a branches of science?

      1. history (the study of past events)
      2. ornithology (the study of birds)
      3. paleontology (the study of fossils)
      4. zoology (the study of animals)
      5. phrenology (using the shape of the head to determine personal characteristics)

    3. Which of the following are examples of matter?

      1. a baby
      2. an idea
      3. the Empire State Building
      4. an emotion
      5. the air
      6. Alpha Centauri, the closest known star (excluding the sun) to our solar system

    4. Which of the following are examples of matter?

      1. your textbook
      2. brain cells
      3. love
      4. a can of soda
      5. breakfast cereal

    5. Suggest a name for the science that studies the physics of rocks and the earth.

    6. Suggest a name for the study of the physics of living organisms.

    7. Engineering is the practical application of scientific principles and discoveries to develop things that make our lives easier. Is medicine science or engineering? Justify your answer.

    8. Based on the definition of engineering in Exercise 7, would building a bridge over a river or road be considered science or engineering? Justify your answer.

    9. When someone says, “I have a theory that excess salt causes high blood pressure,” does that person really have a theory? If it is not a theory, what is it?

    10. When a person says, “My hypothesis is that excess calcium in the diet causes kidney stones,” what does the person need to do to determine if the hypothesis is correct?

    11. Some people argue that many scientists accept many scientific principles on faith. Using what you know about the scientific method, how might you argue against that assertion?

    12. Most students take multiple English classes in school. Does the study of English use the scientific method?

    Answers

    1.  

      1. science
      2. science
      3. not science
      4. not science
      5. not science

    2.

    1. not science
    2. science
    3. science
    4. science
    5. not science

    1.  

      1. matter
      2. not matter
      3. matter
      4. not matter
      5. matter
      6. matter

    4.

    • matter
    • matter
    • not matter
    • matter
    • matter

    1. geophysics

    6. biophysics

    1. Medicine is probably closer to a field of engineering than a field of science, but this may be arguable. Ask your doctor.

    8. Engineering
    1. In scientific terms, this person has a hypothesis.
    2. Conduct experiments to determine if kidney stones contain calcium.
    3. Science is based on reproducible facts, not blind belief.
    4. No.

    Exercises

    1. Does each statement refer to a chemical property or a physical property?

      1. Balsa is a very light wood.
      2. If held in a flame, magnesium metal burns in air.
      3. Mercury has a density of 13.6 g/mL.
      4. Human blood is red.

    2. Does each statement refer to a chemical property or a physical property?

      1. The elements sodium and chlorine can combine to make table salt.
      2. The metal tungsten does not melt until its temperature exceeds 3,000°C.
      3. The ingestion of ethyl alcohol can lead to disorientation and confusion.
      4. The boiling point of isopropyl alcohol, which is used to sterilize cuts and scrapes, is lower than the boiling point of water.

    3. Define element. How does it differ from a compound?

    4. Define compound. How does it differ from an element?

    5. Give two examples of a heterogeneous mixture.

    6. Give two examples of a homogeneous mixture.

    7. Identify each substance as an element, a compound, a heterogeneous mixture, or a solution.

      1. xenon, a substance that cannot be broken down into chemically simpler components
      2. blood, a substance composed of several types of cells suspended in a salty solution called plasma
      3. water, a substance composed of hydrogen and oxygen

    8. Identify each substance as an element, a compound, a heterogeneous mixture, or a solution.

      1. sugar, a substance composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen
      2. hydrogen, the simplest chemical substance
      3. dirt, a combination of rocks and decaying plant matter

    9. Identify each substance as an element, a compound, a heterogeneous mixture, or a solution.

      1. air, primarily a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen
      2. ringer’s lactate, a standard fluid used in medicine that contains salt, potassium, and lactate compounds all dissolved in sterile water
      3. tartaric acid, a substance composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen

    10. Identify each material as an element, a compound, a heterogeneous mixture, or a solution.

      1. equal portions of salt and sand placed in a beaker and shaken up
      2. a combination of beeswax dissolved in liquid hexane
      3. hydrogen peroxide, a substance composed of hydrogen and oxygen

    11. What word describes each phase change?

      1. solid to liquid
      2. liquid to gas
      3. solid to gas

    12. What word describes each phase change?

      1. liquid to solid
      2. gas to liquid
      3. gas to solid

    Answers

    1.  

      1. physical property
      2. chemical property
      3. physical property
      4. physical property

    2.

    1. chemical property
    2. physical property
    3. chemical property
    4. physical property

    1. An element is a substance that cannot be broken down into chemically simpler components. Compounds can be broken down into simpler substances.

    4. A compound is composed of two or more elements combined in a fixed ratio. An element is the simplest chemical substance.

    1. a salt and pepper mix and a bowl of cereal (answers will vary)

    6. vinegar and rubbing alcohol (answers will vary)

    1.  

      1. element
      2. heterogeneous mixture
      3. compound

    8.

    1. compound
    2. element
    3. heterogeneous mixture

    1.  

      1. solution
      2. solution
      3. compound
    10.
    1. heterogeneous mixture
    2. solution
    3. compound

    11.

    • melting or fusion
    • boiling or evaporation
    • sublimation

    12.

    1. freezing
    2. condensation
    3. deposition

     

    Exercises

    1. Why are both parts of a quantity important when describing it?

    2. Why are measurements an important part of any branch of science, such as chemistry?

    3. You ask a classmate how much homework your chemistry professor assigned. Your classmate answers, “twenty.” Is that a proper answer? Why or why not?

    4. Identify the number and the unit in each quantity.

      1. five grandchildren
      2. 16 candles
      3. four score and seven years
      4. 40 days and 40 nights
      5. 12.01 grams
      6. 9.8 meters per second squared
      7. 55 miles per hour
      8. 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit

    Answers

    1. The number states how much, and the unit states of what. Without the number and the unit, a quantity cannot be properly communicated.

    2. Measurements are needed to carry out experiments.

    3. No, it is not a proper answer; you do not know whether the professor meant homework problem number 20 or 20 homework problems.

    4.

    1. The number is 5, and the unit is grandchildren.
    2. The number is 16, and the unit is candles.
    3. The number is 4 score and 7 (= 87), and the unit is years.
    4. The number is 40, and the units are days and nights.
    5. The number is 12.01, and the unit is grams.
    6. The number is 9.8, and the unit is meters per second squared.
    7. The number is 55, and the unit is miles per hour.
    8. The number is 98.6, and the unit is degrees Fahrenheit.

     

    Other Units - Temperature

    1. Perform the following conversions.

    1. 255°F to degrees Celsius
    2. −255°F to degrees Celsius
    3. 50.0°C to degrees Fahrenheit
    4. −50.0°C to degrees Fahrenheit

     

    2. Perform the following conversions.

    1. 1,065°C to degrees Fahrenheit
    2. −222°C to degrees Fahrenheit
    3. 400.0°F to degrees Celsius
    4. 200.0°F to degrees Celsius

     

    3. Perform the following conversions.

    1. 100.0°C to kelvins
    2. −100.0°C to kelvins
    3. 100 K to degrees Celsius
    4. 300 K to degrees Celsius

     

    4. Perform the following conversions.

    1. 1,000.0 K to degrees Celsius
    2. 50.0 K to degrees Celsius
    3. 37.0°C to kelvins
    4. −37.0°C to kelvins

    5. Convert 0 K to degrees Celsius. What is the significance of the temperature in degrees Celsius?

    6. Convert 0 K to degrees Fahrenheit. What is the significance of the temperature in degrees Fahrenheit?

    7. The record for the world’s highest air temperature ever recorded was 134°F. This was measured at Greenland Ranch, Death Valley, on July 10, 1913.   What is the temperature in degrees Celsius and in kelvins?

     

    8. The coldest temperature ever recorded on the surface of the earth was −128.6°F in Vostok, Antarctica, in 1983. What is the temperature in degrees Celsius and in kelvins?

    Answers

    1a. 124°C

    1b. −159°C

    1c. 122°F

    1d. −58°F

     

    2a. 1,949°F

    2b. -368°F

    2c. 204°C

    2d. 93°C

     

    3a. 373 K

    3b. 173 K

    3c. −173°C

    3d. 27°C

     

    4a. 727°C

    4b. -223°C

    4c. 310 K

    4d. 236 K

    5.    −273°C. This is the lowest possible temperature in degrees Celsius.

     

    6.    -460°F.  This is the lowest possible temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.

     

    7.    57°C, 330K

     

    8.    -89.22°C, 183.9K

     

     

     

    " Chemistry, Matter, and Measurement" by LibreTexts is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA .

     

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