Chemistry 101

[IDMclean]

What I mean by state change is a change of the state of molecular matter. Condensate, Solid, Liquid, Gas, Plasma.

 

If I pour acid onto a concrete slab, does it not change the surface, where it interacts, from solid to liquid? Or if I pour it onto steel.

 

Also, what about static equalibrium and solutions? What does hypo-salient mean?

[Mercedes Benzene]

What I mean by state change is a change of the state of molecular matter. Condensate, Solid, Liquid, Gas, Plasma.

 

I knew what you meant, :lol:, I have just never heard of acids doing that.

 

No, acids may appear to "change" a substance to another state, but really it's just reacting with it. For instance, if placed on concrete, the concreate may dissolve in the acid, but it doesn't change state. :cup:

[IDMclean]

So acid doesn't change the average energy (temperature) of the reacting mass?

 

That is of course, assuming the reacting mass is of base. Reverse question for a base exposed to an acidic material. Also, if something's neutral does that keep it from reacting? If so why?

[Mercedes Benzene]

So acid doesn't change the average energy (temperature) of the reacting mass?

 

Acids may change the average temperature (as some acid--substance reactions are exothermic), but this is not significant enough to cause any state change. An acid will either act as a solvent, or it will react to form a new compound with another substance.

Acid-base reactions are usually exothermic, and produce some heat.

 

Also, if something's neutral does that keep it from reacting? If so why?

When a substance reacts with an acid, it's pH does not play any specific role in the ability for it to react. The ability to react is just simple chemistry (molecular structure, solubility rules, etc), and is not influenced by the pH to any major extent.

Acids are just like any substance. They can react with other substances regardless of pH, as long as the other chemical requirements are there.

 

Hope this helps! Ask for any more clarification if you need it!:lol:

[IDMclean]

Ok, I have some experience with molecular structure theory, through physics. What are the solubility rules. Given that this is basic chemistry (101) I figure we are learning the simple rules before we devel into the complex rules.

 

Also, as clarification. Temperature is average energy, or at least that is my understanding of it. Also, when you change a molecule's structure, don't you cause a change to it's melting point and stuff like that? Speaking of which, what are the simple properties of a substance? Like melting point, valence, morality(?), and other fancy chemist terms you like to through out.

 

Remember I'm pretty strictly a physist. I know my shop talk, and we have common points, but I don't know about anything. As it is I am going to need to look at valence some more, cause it has been lightly touched, but seems to have been assumed to be understood implictedly.

 

If it's basic for you, it's advanced for me. One who understands tends to forget how hard it was in the first place to understand. Such is the nature of epiphany.

 

So, that all said. What are the basics?

 

(Never had a chemistry class in my life. Never held a beaker nor learned any of that. Only know of it through books. pretty soon I'll be taking a class, but I want to be ready when I go into it, cause they are going to expect me to know something.)

[Mercedes Benzene]

Ok, I have some experience with molecular structure theory, through physics. What are the solubility rules.

Well... it's good to know that you have molecular structure. That's always important... and I was planning on going into that topic more in a future post.

 

As for solubilty rules (regarding single replacement reactions), I'll do that next. So I'll try to post that tonight!

 

Temperature is average energy, or at least that is my understanding of it. Also, when you change a molecule's structure, don't you cause a change to it's melting point and stuff like that? Speaking of which, what are the simple properties of a substance? Like melting point, valence, morality(?), and other fancy chemist terms you like to through out.

 

Yes. Temperature is average energy. That's why your bathroom gets all steamy when you take a shower. I once had a fellow student ask me why liquid water turns to steam in the shower even when the water is obviously not 100 degrees C. That's because when we say "100 degrees", we mean that as an average. SOME of the water molecules have enough energy to change states, and those FEW are represented in the average.

 

Also, an atom or molecule's atomic structure is what determines it's physical properties. Not the other way around.

I'll list some physical properties for you that are generally important to chemists when analyzing a sample:

Melting point, boiling point, valence, viscosity, atomic weight, molecular weight, formula units, sublimation temperature, decomposition point, flash point, density, relative energy, spectrum, etc.

 

As it is I am going to need to look at valence some more,

I'll cover this more in-depth when I review bonding/chemical reactions, but valence basically stands for the number of electrons in the outer shell of an atom. Usually, the outer shell can hold 8 electrons. These are valence electrons, and these are the electrons involved in chemical reactions. Once again, I'll cover these in my "bonding" posts. (Coming shortly!:lol: )

 

I'm having a hard time understanding what exactly you want to know as far as "basics", because this could be interpreted as many things. Basic chemical properties? Physical/chemical? I'm not sure what you want. I think I've already covered some of the more basic ideas in my previous posts, but I'll be willing to help you as best as I can.

Let me know, or you can PM me! :cup:

 

_MB_

[Mercedes Benzene]

Okay. I'm about to start my "series" of posts on chemical reactions/bonding. Please stand by for the first in a little bit. :hihi:

[Mercedes Benzene]

Okay:

All information I give is BASIC at the very least. If you wish for me to go into more detail, or clarify something more --as always-- feel free to ask a question. If I can't answer it, there are many other qualified individuals in these forums that I'm sure would love to help!

 

I'm going to start with the general types of bonds here:

There are 2 basic types of bonds (more will be discussed later).

Covalent Bonds, and Ionic Bonds.

 

Covalent bonds occur when two (or more) elements with similar electronegativities react. That is why most covalent bonds occur between two nonmetal elements. In the case of covalent bonds, the angle of the bonds generally determines the strength of the bonds.

Covalent bonds occur when electrons join together in "pairs".

Bonds may either be triple, double, or single "pairs" between the bonded elements.

 

Ionic bonds occur when two (or more) elements with differing electronegativities react. The electronegativity difference must be greater than 1.6 . Ionic bonds occur between a metal(s) and a nonmetal element(s). Ionic bonding is determined through the outer shell of electrons (valance). For most purposes, the elements will try to bond to gain a total of 8 (shared)electrons in the outer shell.

 

One example of a covalent bond is Methane (CH4). The carbon has 4 electrons to "share". Therefore, 4 Hydrogen atoms (with 1 electron each), can bond to the Carbon atom for a total of 4 "pairs" of electrons.

 

One example of an ionic bond is Lithium Fluoride (LiF). The Lithium atom has 1 electron to "give" while the Fluorine atom has 7 electrons, with room to "take" 1 more electron. These elements bond readily, giving a total of 8 "shared" electrons.

 

======================================================

 

Well... there you have it... a crash course on the basic types of bonds. Next will be chemical reactions!

[learnin to learn]

so last night I couldn't sleep, so I lit 2 candles.Well the wick was almost gone on both candles, so I thought I would try an experiment. I burned a regular piece of paper in one candle, and a piece of paper from a magazine in the other. Well yall already probably know this but the page from the magazine burned green. Well after the paper had turned black I thought that the flame would just extinguish... well 10 minutes later and the flames are still blazing! So like the dummy I am I tried to blow the fires out I ended up singeing my eyebrows off and burning some of my hair!:cup: well I finally put the flames out and filled my room with smoke! (I couldn't see my hand in front of my face!)

 

OK here is my question, O2 is needed to make fire right? well what importance does CO2 have with fire? When I breathed on the flames they blew up so I was wondering did the CO2 I breathed on the flames cause it to blowup, or was it just the air I breathed into it? If it was just O2 what importance does carbon play with fire?

[InfiniteNow]

Sorry for your loss of eyebrows L2L... Been there, done that... :cup:

 

 

My guess is that when you blow on the flame, you are actually "pushing" more oxygen at it... it's not really reacting to the CO2, but reacting to the increase of available O2.

 

However, I'm sure one of your more clever chemists on Hypo can be of greater assistance than myself.

 

 

Cheers. :cup:

[Mercedes Benzene]

My guess is that when you blow on the flame, you are actually "pushing" more oxygen at it... it's not really reacting to the CO2, but reacting to the increase of available O2.

 

Yup, yup. You were simply pushing more oxygen into the flame.

If you were blowing harder, the flame would most likely have just gone out. This is because you are "pushing" the air out of the way before the flame has a chance to heat it up. The flame essentially puts all of its energy into the fleeing air... and poof! I hope you made a wish!

 

Also, I'm pretty sure that when you exhale, you are not solely exhaling carbon dioxide. There is probably some leftover oxygen.

 

Cheers.

[Jay-qu]

Also, I'm pretty sure that when you exhale, you are not solely exhaling carbon dioxide. There is probably some leftover oxygen.

 

Thats a definite yes, your body does its best through equilibrium reactions in your lungs, but it doesnt get all of the oxygen. Thats the main reason that breathing into a closed space (paper bag) wont kill you straight away.

[learnin to learn]

Ok that makes since! I never thought that I would be pushing oxygen into the flame. Ok here is a hypothetical question. Lets say that I can isolate a flame to where it only has enough O2 to stay lit. What would happen if I were to add CO2?

[Mercedes Benzene]

What would happen if I were to add CO2?

 

As long as there was Oxygen... nothing would happen. It would stay lit.

Now if you got rid of the oxygen, and just added carbon dioxide, you would smother the flame, and it would go out.

 

Flames need oxygen.

CO2 does absolutely nothing to fire.... ...except put it out.

[Mercedes Benzene]

Also, stand by for my first post on chemical reactions. :thumbs_up

[learnin to learn]

darn! I was hoping on furthering my experiments with CO2 and fire! shoot I guess I get to keep my eyelashes :thumbs_up

thanks for the help!;)

 

Ok this question is off subject, but how many science classes did yall take in high school? everyone thinks that I am crazy because I am in the middle of my 6th science!

[Mercedes Benzene]

Ok this question is off subject, but how many science classes did yall take in high school? everyone thinks that I am crazy because I am in the middle of my 6th science!

 

I've only taken 3 so far. This year I'm taking 2 (maybe 3). By the end of my senior year, I will have taken 8 or 9.