What Is Chemistry?

If you look 'chemistry' up in Webster's Dictionary, you'll see:

"chemistry n., pl. -tries. 1. the science that systematically stud
ies the composition, properties, and activity of organic and ino
rganic substances and various elementary forms of matter. 2. c
hemical properties, reactions, phenomena, etc.: the chemistry
of carbon. 3. a. sympathetic understanding; rapport. b. sexual
attraction. 4. the constituent elements of something; the chem
istry of love. [1560- 1600; earlier chymistry]."
My definition is the short and sweet, "scientific study of matter,
its properties, and interactions with other matter and with ener
gy". An important point to remember is that chemistry is a scie
nce, which means its procedures are systematic and reproduci
ble and its hypotheses are tested using the scientific method.
Chemists, scientists who study chemistry, examine the properti
es and composition of matter and the interactions between su
bstances. Chemistry is closely related to physics and to biolog
y. As is true for other sciences, mathematics is an essential tool

 Which branches of science are, accordi

ng to the article, closely related to chem
istry? Do you agree?
Why, according to the article, is chemist
ry a science? What criteria are mentione
d?
Do you think that mathematics is an ess
ential tool for the study of chemistry, as
the article says? Do you as the students
of chemistry need to study mathematic
s?

There are some nouns in English of Latin and Green origin which do
not form plural by adding an s. They are very common in the langu
age of science.

Nouns ending in us with plurals en

ding in i.
Singular
NUCLEUS

Plural
NUCLEI

RADIUS

RADII

FUNGUS

FUNGI

FOCUS

FOCI

 Nouns ending in is with plurals end

ing in es.
Singular

Plural

BASIS

BASES

THESIS

THESES

AXIS

AXES

INDEX

INDICES

 Nouns ending in a with plurals endi

ng in ae.
Singular

Plural

ANTENNA

ANTENNAE

FORMULA

FORMULAE

ALGA

ALGAE

Nouns ending in um with plurals e

nding in a.
Singular

Plural

DATUM

DATA

MEDIUM

MEDIA

STRATUM

STRATA

 Nouns ending in on with plurals en

ding in a.
Singular

Plural

PHENOMENON

PHENOMENA

CRITERION

CRITERIA

USE THE CORRECT FORM OF T

HE NOUN IN BRACKETS.
___________ (nucleus) are located in the cen
tre of the atoms.
The __________ (radius) of electrons are extr
emely small.
Orthorhombic system is characterized by th
ree unequal _________ (axis).
Lavoisier explained a number of chemical _
_______ (phenomenon).
Geological _________ (stratum) are visible in
some canyons.
In order to become laws all _____________
(hypothesis) must be experimentally prove
d.

USE THE CORRECT FORM OF T

HE NOUN IN BRACKETS.
Nuclei are located in the centre of the at
oms.
The radii of electrons are extremely smal
l.
Orthorhombic system is characterized by
three unequal axes.
Lavoisier explained a number of chemica
l phenomena.
Geological strata are visible in some can
yons.
In order to become laws all hypotheses
must be experimentally proved.

Nouns with Latin and

Greek plurals

There are some nouns in English of Latin and Green origin which do
not form plural by adding an s. They are very common in the langu
age of science.

Nouns ending in us with plurals en

ding in i.
Singular
NUCLEUS

Plural
NUCLEI

RADIUS

RADII

FUNGUS

FUNGI

FOCUS

FOCI

 Nouns ending in is with plurals end

ing in es.
Singular

Plural

BASIS

BASES

THESIS

THESES

AXIS

AXES

INDEX

INDICES

 Nouns ending in a with plurals endi

ng in ae.
Singular
Plural
ANTENNA

ANTENNAE

FORMULA

FORMULAE

ALGA

ALGAE

Nouns ending in um with plurals e

nding in a.
Singular

Plural

DATUM

DATA

MEDIUM

MEDIA

STRATUM

STRATA

 Nouns ending in on with plurals en

ding in a.
Singular

Plural

PHENOMENON

PHENOMENA

CRITERION

CRITERIA

USE THE CORRECT FORM OF T

HE NOUN IN BRACKETS.
___________ (nucleus) are located in the cen
tre of the atoms.
The __________ (radius) of electrons are extr
emely small.
Orthorhombic system is characterized by th
ree unequal _________ (axis).
Lavoisier explained a number of chemical _
_______ (phenomenon).
Geological _________ (stratum) are visible in
some canyons.
In order to become laws all _____________
(hypothesis) must be experimentally prove
d.

USE THE CORRECT FORM OF T

HE NOUN IN BRACKETS.
Nuclei are located in the centre of the at
oms.
The radii of electrons are extremely smal
l.
Orthorhombic system is characterized by
three unequal axes.
Lavoisier explained a number of chemica
l phenomena.
Geological strata are visible in some can
yons.
In order to become laws all hypotheses
must be experimentally proved.

Test Prep

Test Preparation

Understanding Concepts

1. Which of the following is best classifie

d as a homogeneous mixture?

A. blood

B. copper wire

C. pizza

D. hot tea

Test Preparation

Understanding Concepts

2. Which of the following statements about compo

unds is true?

A. A compound contains only one element.

B A compound can be classified as either

terogeneous or homogeneous.

C. A compound has a defined ratio by mass of t

he elements that it contains.

D. A compound varies in chemical composition

depending on the sample size.

he

Test Preparation

Understanding Concepts

3. Which of the following is an elemen

t?

A. BaCl2

B. CO

C. He

D. NaOH

Test Preparation

Understanding Concepts

4. Is photosynthesis, in which light en

ergy is captured by plants to make sug
ar from carbon dioxide and water, a p
hysical change or a chemical change?
Explain your answer.

Test Preparation

Understanding Concepts

6. Describe the physical and ch

emical changes that occur when
a pot of water is boiled over a ca
mpfire.

Test Preparation

Read the passage below. Then answer

the questions.
Willow bark has been a remedy for pain and fever fo
r hundreds of years. In the late eighteenth century,
scientists isolated the compound in willow bark that
is responsible for its effects. They then converted it
to a similar compound, salicylic acid, which is even
more effective. In the late nineteenth century, a Ger
man chemist, Felix Hoffmann, did research to find a
pain reliever that would help his fathers arthritis, b
ut not cause the nausea that is a side effect of salicy
lic acid. Because the technologies used to synthesiz
e chemicals had improved, he had a number of mor
e effective ways the work with chemical compounds
than the earlier chemists. The compound that he m
ade, acetylsalicylic acid, is known as aspirin. It is stil
l one of the most common pain relievers more than

Test Preparation

Reading Skills
7. The main reason willow bark has been us
ed as a painkiller and fever treatment is bec
ause
A) chemists can use it to make painkilling co
mpounds.
B) it contains elements that have painkilling ef
fects.
C) it contains compounds that have painkilling
effects.
D) no other painkillers were available long ag

Test Preparation

Reading Skills

8. Why is aspirin normally used as a painkiller inst

ead of salicylic acid?

A)

Aspirin tends to cause less nausea.

B)

Aspirin is cheaper to make than salicylic acid.

C)

Only aspirin can be isolated from willow bark.

D)

Salicylic acid is less effective as a painkiller.

Test Preparation

Interpreting Graphics
The table and graph below show a relationship of dir
ect
proportionality between mass (grams) versus volume
(cubic centimeters). Use it to answer questions 9 thr
ough 12.

Test Preparation

Interpreting Graphics

9. Based on information in the table and the grap

h, what is the relationship between mass and volu
me of a sample of aluminum?

A)

no relationship

B)

a linear relationship

C)

an inverse relationship

D)

an exponential relationship

TEST PREP

Interpreting Graphics

10. From the data provided, what is the d

ensity of aluminum?
A) 0.37 g/cm3
B) 1.0 g/cm3
C) 2.0 g/cm3
D) 2.7 g/cm3

Test Preparation

Interpreting Graphics

11. Someone gives you a metal cube that measur

es 2.0 centimeters on each side and has a mass
of 27.5 grams. What can be deduced about the
metal from this information and the table?

It is not pure aluminum.

It has more than one element.

It does not contain any aluminum.

It is a compound, not an element.

Test Preparation

Understanding Concepts

12. The density of nickel is 8.90 g/

cm3. How could this information be
applied, along with information from
the graph, to determine which of tw
o pieces of metal is aluminum, and
which is nickel?