CHEM 1 – 4 Atoms, Elements, Compounds and The Periodic Table
What is the periodic table? By 1871, A scientist called Mendeleev with the help of other
scientists arranged a periodic table that displayed all the known elements. Elements with similar
properties were arranged in groups on the table. Each element is represented by a symbol eg
jpa
Oxygen= O Gold= Au
What is an atom? An atom is a small building block
of all matter in our universe. Atoms that are the
same make up an element
What is a compound?
Compounds are 2 or more elements
chemically joined. Popular compounds
are:
Water=Hydrogen and Oxygen (H20)
Carbon dioxide=Carbon and Oxygen (CO2).
Describe the common properties of
metals.
 Solids with high melting points.
 Strong and flexible.
 Malleable
 Shiny (when polished).
 Good conductors of heat.
 Good conductors of electricity.
What can metals be used for?
Metals can be used for making wires,
and pots and pans as they are good
conductors of heat and electricity
Some metals can be used as magnets
such as iron ,steel,nickel and cobalt.
CHEM 5 – Physical and chemical changes
What is a physical change?
A change in a substance that can be
reversed. For example, boiling, melting, or
freezing. No new substances are formed.
What is a bond?
A bond holds particles together. Bonds in a
substance are either made or broken using
energy during physical or chemical changes.
Describe an endothermic reaction.
Endothermic reactions take in thermal
energy from the surroundings. Examples:
photosynthesis, melting
What is a trend?
A general direction in which something is developing or changing. There are trends in reactivity of
elements seen in the periodic table which is why elements with similar reactivity are in groups.
CHEM 6 & 7 – Chemical reactions
What is an element? Pure elements are
found on the periodic table eg. Gold, Oxygen.
How are elements in the periodic table arranged?
 Elements with similar properties are in the
same column or group.
 Non-metals are on the right-hand side.
 Metals on the left-hand side.
How are symbols and formulae used?
Symbols on the periodic table are used to
represent chemical reactions. eg. The
element carbon reacts with a molecule of
oxygen to create the compound carbon
dioxide : C + O2 CO2
Describe the common properties of non-
metals.
 Substances with low melting points.
 Brittle when solid.
 Not shiny
 Poor conductors of heat.
 Poor conductors of electricity.
What does conduction of heat mean? Allows
heat energy through.
What does conduction of electricity mean?
Allows electricity to flow through it.
What happens to particles in a metal when they
conduct heat? The particles vibrate and pass
vibrations along to neighbouring particles
What is a chemical change?
A change in a substance that cannot be
reversed. New products are formed.
What are the signs of a chemical reaction?
1- colour change
2- smell
3- change of temperature
4- gas given off (bubbles)
5- a solid (precipitate) is formed
Remember that some of these signs may occur in
physical changes too.
Describe an exothermic reaction.
Exothermic reactions release thermal energy into
the surroundings. Examples: Respiration,
freezing, combustion.
Chemistry – Yr 7 – C2 CHEM 8-13 Acids, Alkali’s and neutralisation What happens during a
What is an acid? neutralisation reaction?
A substance with a pH below 7 on the pH scale. pH1-3 are An acid and an alkali react to
strong acids. pH 4-6 are weak acids. Acids often taste sour like form a salt and water.
lemon or vinegar.
How are chemical reactions represented? acid + alkalisalt + water
For example:
When molecules elements and compounds react with each other we What is an alkali? hydrochloric acid + magnesium
call them reactants. When the atoms of these substances rearrange A substance with a pH above 7 on the pH scale. pH 8-10 are hydroxidemagnesium chloride +
weak alkalis. pH 11-14 are strong alkalis. Alkali’s often have a water
to form new compounds, we call these products.
soapy texture.
What is the pH scale?
A scale that shows us the colour universal indicator would turn if placed in substances with certain pH’s .
Reactants Products
What happens when How is mass conserved in chemical
magnesium burns in air? reactions?
The mass of reactants is the same as
Oxygen in the air reacts the mass of the products. No atoms How do you test the pH of a substance?
with the magnesium are lost or gained they are just Universal indicator liquid changes colour in different substances.
producing magnesium rearranged to form a new product. Blue litmus paper turns red in an acid; Red litmus paper turns blue in an alkali.
oxide. There are many signs A pH meter has a digital screen that tells you the exact pH of the substance it is in.
that this is a chemical
reaction What is the most accurate apparatus for testing the pH of a substance?
A digital pH meter is the most accurate way of testing as it can give the pH to the nearest decimal point.
1- colour change
2- smell Name some examples of neutralisation Why is red cabbage used as an indicator?
3- change of temperature reactions? Red cabbage can also change colour when
Lots of light energy is also mixed with substances of different pH’s.
Antacids or indigestion remedies contain alkalis
given off. such as magnesium hydroxide, Mg(OH)2 to
neutralise the excess acid in the stomach.
The reaction is written as: Vinegar is used to cure wasp stings that are
alkaline. Baking powder is used to cure bee stings
Mg + O2  MgO2 and ant bites that are acidic.
Why is it important to know the pH of a
What are state symbols?
substance?
Both acids and alkali’s can be corrosive. Some
enzymes in the body only work in certain pH’s and What does an antacid do?
some crops only grow in certain pH’s so it is An antacid neutralises stomach acid that causes
important to keep the conditions pain during indigestion. Tablets or liquids such
constant. as Rennie’s are weak alkalis that are specially
The symbol for a corrosive formulated to neutralise the weak hydrochloric
What is a fuel? substance is shown here: acid found in the stomach.
A fuel is a store of chemical energy. Examples of fuels are coal, oil
and gas.
CHEM 14 – Testing for gases and water Describe the test for
How is the energy from a fuel used?
Describe the test for Hydrogen. oxygen.
The energy can be released by combustion (burning) which converts
it to thermal energy. This thermal energy can be transformed into Hydrogen gas is explosive. If you place a lit splint into a test tube of
hydrogen a squeaky pop can be heard. If oxygen gas is present
electrical or kinetic energy for machines. an unlit splint will re-
light.
What impact does combustion of fuels have on the environment?
Combustion produces carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide as What are the tests for carbon dioxide and water?
waste. This causes damage to the environment by increasing the
layer of gases in the Earth’s atmosphere.
What are world governments doing about the damage to the
environment caused by fossil fuels?
There are measures in place to reduce use of fossil fuels by using
more renewable energy. Electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel (clean Test for CO2: Bubble carbon dioxide gas through limewater and it turns
fuel) is being used more often to reduce carbon emissions. cloudy.
Test for pure water: Cobalt chloride paper turns pink

Key Vocabulary Definitions
Acid: A substance that reacts with alkalis, turns litmus red, and has a pH of less than 7 is acidic.
Alkali: A substance that reacts with acids, turns litmus blue, and has a pH of more than 7 is alkaline.
Antacid: An alkali that neutralises excess stomach acid during heartburn.
Atom: A small particle from which all substances are made.
Balanced equation: A symbol equation in which the numbers of atoms or ions of different types are the same on
both sides of the arrow.
Base: A type of alkali that is insoluble. Usually a metal oxide however another example is powdered limestone.
Bond: Force of attraction that holds atoms together in a molecule or compound.
Brittle: Not easily bent, or not flexible, breaks under force.
Chemical reaction: A change in which new substances are made.
Compound: Substance that can be split up into simpler substances, since it contains the atoms of two or more
elements joined together.
Conductor of electricity: Substance that allows electricity to pass through it easily.
Conductor of heat: Substance that allows heat to pass through it easily.
Element: A simple substance, made up of only one type of atom.
Endothermic: A reaction that takes in heat from the surroundings.
Exothermic: A reaction that releases heat to the surroundings.
Formula (chemical): A combination of symbols and numbers that shows how many atoms of different kinds are in
a particular molecule. Plural is formulae.
Indicator: A substance that changes colour in solutions of different acidity and alkalinity.
Malleable: Able to be beaten and bent into shape.
Metals: Elements that are shiny when polished, conduct heat and electricity well, are malleable and flexible, and
often have high melting points.
Mixture: Contains more than one substance with different types of particles that are not joined together.
Molecule: Two or more atoms joined together in groups of a set size. Gases such as oxygen and hydrogen are
found as molecules in the air.
Neutral: A liquid that is neither acidic nor alkaline and has a pH of 7.
Neutralise: To make a solution neither acidic nor alkaline. During neutralisation, an alkali reacts with an acid,
forming a salt and water only.
Non-metals: Elements that are not shiny, and do not conduct heat and electricity well.
Oxidation: Reaction in which a substance gains oxygen.
Oxide: A compound of a metal or non-metal with oxygen, such as magnesium oxide or carbon dioxide.
Periodic table: A special list of all known elements.
pH scale: A scale going up to 14 showing acidity or alkalinity. Numbers below 7 are acids; numbers above 7are
alkalis; pH 7 is neutral.
Products: The new substances made in a chemical reaction. These are written on the right side, after the arrow, in
a word equation.
Pure: A single substance that does not have anything else in it (rather than a mixture of substances).
Reactants: The substances that take part in a chemical reaction. These are written on the right side, after the
arrow, in a word equation.
Reactivity: A description of how quickly or vigorously something reacts.
Salt: The substance (other than water) that is formed when an acid reacts with an alkali or a base.
State symbol: Letter or letters to show the physical state of a substance (e.g. (g) for gas).
Symbol: A letter capital letter (or capital and lower-case letter) that represents an element on the periodic table.
Symbol equation: A way of writing out what happens in a chemical reaction using symbols to represent the
substances involved.
Trend: A pattern in results e.g. gradually increasing or decreasing.
Universal indicators: A mixture of different indicators giving a different colour at different points on the pH scale.
Word equation: An equation in which the names of the reactants are written on the left side, there is an arrow
pointing from left to right, and the names of the products are written on the right side.
e.g.: reactants  products.