46 CONCEPT

CHEMISTRY TODAY | JUNE '15

SOME BASIC CONCEPTS OF CHEMISTRY
Introduction of most fundamental and important tools of chemistry which help in various calculations.

SI Units Law of Conservation of Mass Masses

 SI system has seven base units pertaining to Matter can neither be created nor destroyed.  Atomic mass unit (amu or u) : Mass exactly
seven fundamental scientific quantities : equal to 1/12th of the mass of an atom of
C-12 isotope.
Physical quantity SI unit Law of Definite Proportions
 Atomic mass of an element : Average
Length (l) metre (m) A given compound always contains exactly the relative mass of its atoms as compared to an
same proportion of elements by weight.
Mass (m) kilogram (kg) atom of C-12.
 Average atomic mass : Given for isotopes.
Time (t) second (s) Xi Ai where Xi = % abundance
Law of Multiple Proportions 
Electric current (I) ampere (A) X i Ai = atomic mass
If two elements can combine to form more than  Gram atomic mass : Atomic mass of an
Thermodynamic kelvin (K)
one compound, the masses of one element that element expressed in grams.
temperature (T)
combine with a fixed mass of the other element,  Molecular mass : Sum of atomic masses of
Amount of substance (n) mole (mol) are in the ratio of small whole numbers. all the elements present in a molecule.
Luminous intensity (Iv) candela (cd)
Gay Lussac’s Law of Gaseous Volumes Mole Concept
 SI system allows the use of prefixes to
indicate the multiples or submultiples of a When gases combine or are produced in a Mole : Collection of 6.022 × 1023 particles
unit : chemical reaction they do so in a simple ratio In case of
by volume provided all gases are at same atomic substances :
deci - 10–1 deka - 101 temperature and pressure. 1 mole = Gram atomic mass = 1 gram atom
centi - 10–2 hecto - 102 = 6.022 × 1023 atoms
molecular substances :
milli - 10–3 kilo - 103
Avogadro's Law 1 mole = Gram molecular mass
micro - 10–6 mega - 106 = 1 gram molecule
nano - 10–9 giga - 109 Equal volumes of gases at the same temperature = 6.022 × 1023 molecules
pico - 10–12 tera - 1012 and pressure should contain equal number of gaseous substances :
molecules. 1 mole = 22.4 L at STP

Scientific Notation Dalton's Atomic Theory Percentage Composition

 A number is represented as x × 10n  Matter consists of indivisible atoms. It shows mass of a constituent in 100 parts of a
 n is –ve if decimal is moved towards right  All the atoms of a given element have compound.
and n is +ve if it is moved towards left. identical properties including identical Mass % of an element
mass. Atoms of different elements differ in Mass of that element in the compound
  100
mass. Molar mass of the compound
Significant Figures  Compounds are formed when atoms of
different elements combine in a fixed ratio.
 These are all certain digits with last digit
 Chemical reactions involve reorganisation
uncertain. Empirical Formula
of atoms. These are neither created nor
 All non-zero digits are significant .  It is the simplest whole number ratio of
destroyed in a chemical reaction.
 Zeros preceding to first non-zero digit are different atoms present in a compound.
not significant.  Steps to obtain empirical formula :
 Zeros between two non-zero digits are
significant. Stoichiometry % age Change to
Molar ratio 
 Zeros on the right side of the decimal are At. mass
 It deals with calculations based upon
significant.
chemical equations.
Molar ratio
 Various steps involved in calculations are : Simplest molar ratio 
Minimum molar ratio
Dimensional Analysis – Write balanced chemical equation.
– Write the relative number of moles or Change to
 Required unit = Given value × conversion relative masses of reactants and products
factor Write the numbers below Simplest whole
involved below their formulae. number ratio =
the symbols of elements
 Some useful conversion factors : – In case of gases write 22.4 L at STP in
–8 –10 Simplest ratio × Integer
Length – 1Å = 10 cm = 10 m place of 1 mole. Empirical formula
1 nm = 10–9 m, 1 pm = 10–12 m – Apply unitary method to make required
Volume – 1 L = 1000 mL calculations.
= 1000 cm3 = 1 dm3 = 10–3 m3
Molecular Formula
Pressure – 1 atm = 760 mm or torr
= 101325 Pa  It is the formula showing exact number of
Limiting Reagent
1 bar = 105 Nm–2 = 105 Pa atoms present in a molecule.
Energy – 1 calorie = 4.184 J The reactant which gets consumed completely  Molecular formula = n × empirical formula
1 eV = 1.6022 × 10–19 J and limits the amount of product formed is
1 J = 10 7 ergs called limiting reagent.
CHEMISTRY TODAY | JUNE '15

Reactions in Solutions
wsolute
 Mass percent (%) =  100
wsolution
HAVE A LOOK !
nA nB
 Mole fraction (xA) = ,x 
 Mass is the quantity of matter contained in the substance and is constant whereas weight varies nA  nB B nA  nB
from place to place. w2  1000
 Molarity (M) =
 Exact numbers have an infinite number of significant figures. M2  V (in mL)
 Molar volume of a gas is 22.7 L at 1 bar and 0°C. w2  1000
 Molality (m) =
 The number of molecules in 1 mL of a gas at STP is known as Loschmidt number. M2  w1(in g)
47