General chemistryLesson 1 of 1 in the course The Chemical Level of Organization

Matter, Atomic Structure, Isotopes, and Chemical Bonding

5 flashcards · 5 quiz questions · 5 match pairs · 5 fill-in sentences · English

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Summary

Matter makes up everything from tiny grains of sand to distant stars. Understanding how matter is described—and how elements combine into compounds—provides a foundation for studying the chemistry of the human body.

Matter is anything that occupies space and has mass. A chair, a drop of water, air, and the human body are all matter.

Mass is the amount of matter in an object. An object's mass does not change when it moves from Earth to the Moon or into space. Weight is the effect of gravity on an object's mass, so it can change depending on gravitational strength. For example, a piece of cheese weighs less on the Moon than on Earth, even though its mass remains the same.

All flashcards

What is matter?
Matter is anything that occupies space and has mass.
How do mass and weight differ?
Mass is the amount of matter in an object and stays the same when location changes. Weight is the effect of gravity on that mass and can vary with gravitational strength.
What is an element?
An element is a pure substance that cannot be created or broken down by ordinary chemical means.
What is a compound?
A compound is a substance formed when atoms of two or more elements join through chemical bonds.
What does a chemical formula show?
It identifies the elements in a substance and indicates how many atoms of each are present in a molecule or formula unit.

Quiz questions

  1. What is matter?Answer: Anything that occupies space and has mass.
  2. Which statement correctly distinguishes mass from weight?Answer: Mass is the amount of matter, while weight is mass affected by gravity.
  3. Why does an object weigh less on the Moon than on Earth?Answer: The Moon's gravity pulls on the object's mass less strongly.
  4. Which description defines an element?Answer: A pure substance that cannot be created or broken down by ordinary chemical means.
  5. What does the formula C6H12O6C_6H_{12}O_6 indicate about glucose?Answer: Each glucose molecule contains six carbon, twelve hydrogen, and six oxygen atoms.

Based on Anatomy and Physiology 2e by J. Gordon Betts, Kelly A. Young, James A. Wise, Eddie Johnson, Brandon Poe, Dean H. Kruse, Oksana Korol, Jody E. Johnson, Mark Womble, Peter DeSaix (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.

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