CHEM1030

Week 1: Introduction to chemistry,

Measurement and Matter
Objectives:
1. Define chemistry and its importance to healthcare profession
2. Define accuracy and precision, determine if a set of measurements is accurate and precise
3. Define significant figures, identify the number of significant figures in a measurement, perform
calculations using significant figures
4. Define matter and classify the states of matter and their properties
5. Explain the International System of Units (SI)
6. Differentiate between physical/chemical properties and physical/chemical changes
7. Define a mixture and differentiate between a heterogeneous and homogeneous mixture using
examples related to health sciences
8. Define mass, volume and density, describe how to determine density
9. Describe law of constant composition, law of conservation of mass, and law of multiple
proportions /GB
 Chemistry
• CHEMISTRY: a branch of science that studies
composition, properties, and reactions of matter

• MATTER: anything that has mass and volume

The amount of matter in an object Takes up space

(g or kg)

• Chemistry is sometimes called “the Central Science,” because it bridges

physics with other natural sciences, such as biology, geology, etc.
 Branches of Chemistry
• There are several branches (or areas of
specialization) within chemistry:
Analytical
Nuclear Biochemistry

Chemistry
Inorganic
Organic

Physical
 Importance of Chemistry
• Chemistry is very important to living systems
(BIOCHEMISTRY)
– Chemical reactions (cellular respiration,
photosynthesis, metabolism)
– Proteins, enzymes, carbohydrates, etc.
– Viruses and bacteria
 Importance of Chemistry in Health Sciences
• Chemistry helps in understanding a disease (note that all
biological systems are made of molecules)
• Some imaging agents are synthesized by chemical reactions
which help in diagnostics of a disease
• Drugs are synthesized by chemical reactions for treatment of
various diseases
• Drug delivery systems are also synthesized by chemical
reactions for targeted delivery of drugs
• Knowledge of Chemistry is fundamental for improving
treatment of a known disease or to discover drug/vaccine
for a new disease such as disease caused by COVID-19 virus.
 Concept Check
• List any three areas of specialization in
chemistry
 Accuracy and Precision
• In chemistry, it is important to have ACCURACY and
PRECISION.

• ACCURACY: how close your measurements are to the

true value (the real answer)
• E.g.

Accurate Not Accurate

 Precision
• PRECISION: how close your measurements are to
each other
– Always need more than 1 measurement

• E.g.

Precise Not Precise

 Accuracy and Precision
Example:
For each of the targets below:
• Is this accurate?
• Is this precise?
Not accurate
Accurate
Precise
Precise

Not accurate
Not precise
 Accuracy and Precision
Example:
Ali measures a 1.0 kg ball. His
measurements are 2.3 kg, 2.4 kg, and 2.2 kg.
• Is this accurate?
No
• Is this precise?
Yes
 Accuracy and Precision
• PRECISION: can also mean having a lot of
information or significant digits

• E.g. Which mass is more precise?

1.00 kg or 1.0000 kg
 Accuracy and Precision
Example:

Which graduated cylinder

would give a more accurate
and precise measurement of
exactly 4 mL?

Cylinder A
 Significant Digits
• The number of meaningful (important) digits
– Not every number is important
• Shows precision
• Your answer is only as reliable as your least precise
measurement
 Significant Digits
• Rules:

1. All non-zero numbers are significant

3 significant digits
– Example: 849 has _____

2. Zeroes to the left are not significant

– 4 significant digits
Example: 0.004149 has _____
 Significant Digits
• Rules:
3. Every other zero is significant
5 sig figs
a. Example: 1.0540 has ____

b. When there is no decimal and a zero is to the right,

sometimes it may not count
• Example: Round 1999 to 1 significant digit
• Round 1999 to 2 sig figs
2000
• Round 1999 to 3 sig figs
 Significant Digits
• Rules:
4. Exact numbers have an infinite number of sig figs

• Exact numbers can be 2 things:

– A countable number
• Example: There are 11 people in this class
• Sometimes do not have units
– From a definition
• Example: There are 1000 m in 1 km
 Concept Check
• How many significant digits does each number have?

– 25.03 K 4 sf

– 0.036653 m 5 sf

– 7.2100 x 10-3 g 5 sf

– 72 100 km 3, 4, or 5 sf

– 25 desks Infinite sf
 Significant Digits
• When doing a calculation, there are 2 rules:
1. When adding or subtracting, round to the
lowest number of DECIMAL PLACES

Reminder: When rounding, if the first non-significant number is

4 or smaller, round down!
 Significant Digits
• When doing a calculation, there are 2 rules:
2. When multiplying or dividing, round to the
lowest number of SIGNIFICANT FIGURES

Reminder: When rounding, if the first non-significant number is

5 or larger, round up!
 Concept Check
• Calculate:

250.00 - 84.4711 165.5289 or 165.53

58.358 + 269.1 327.458 or 327.5

4.2350 x 55.1 233.3485 or 233

0.2700 ÷ 0.0452 5.973451327 or 5.97

22.99 + 12.01 35.00

 SI Units
• Different countries measure things in different ways
• Example: for mass
– grams and kilograms
8.2 kg
– ounces and pounds 18 lb
– hundredweight 0.16 cwt

• For science to be understood everywhere, it is

important to use the same units
SI units: International System of Units
 SI Units
• 7 fundamental units of measurement:
Physical Quantity Name of Unit Abbreviation
Mass kilogram kg
Length meter m
Temperature Kelvin K
Amount of substance mole mol
Time second s
Electric current Ampere A
Luminous intensity candela Cd

• All other units can be made from these

 Mass and Volume
• MASS: The SI unit of mass is kilogram (kg). Gram (g) is
also used as unit of mass.

• VOLUME = length x width x height

– SI unit is m3
– L is the most common unit for volume (1 L = 1 dm3 = 0.001 m3)
– mL is also used as unit for volume (1 mL = 1 cm3)
 Balances for measuring mass
• There are two types of balances used in a
chemistry lab.

Top Loading Balance Analytical Balance

 Measuring Volume
• In chemistry we measure volume using
measuring cylinders or graduated cylinders.
• Graduated cylinders are
available in different
sizes from 5 mL to 2000 mL.
 Density
• DENSITY = mass / volume
– SI unit is kg / m3
– g/mL or g/cm3 is the most common unit for density
– A dense object feels heavier than less dense object of same size
 Calculating Density- example 1
• What is the density of a cube of sugar weighing
11.2 grams, and whose volume is 8 cm3 ?

1.4 g/cm3
 Calculating Density- example 2
• What is the density of a solid weighing 9.5 kg,
and whose volume is 5 m3 ?

1.9 kg/m3
 Calculating Density- example 3
• What is the density of a cube of sugar
weighing 67.5 grams, and whose length is 3 cm,
breadth is 3 cm, and height is 3 cm?

2.5 g/cm3
 Conversion between units
• Most common conversions are:
– mg, g, and kg
÷1000 ÷1000
mg g
kg
x 1000 x 1000

– mL and L ÷1000

mL x 1000
L
 Concept Check
• Convert

0.253 g
– 253 mg = _________

3600 g
– 3.6 kg = _________

58.7
– 0.0587 L = __________ mL

0.1000
– 100.0 mL = ___________ L
 Matter
Mass Volume

• Matter usually takes one of 3 forms (STATES)

– SOLID
– LIQUID
– GAS
 Matter
SOLID LIQUID GAS
Constant volume Constant volume Changing volume
Constant shape Changing shape Changing shape
Highest density Medium density Lowest density

• DENSITY:
– High density = sinking
– Low density = floating
 Concept Check
• Which state of matter has the lowest density?

Gas

• Which state of matter has a constant shape

and constant volume?

Solid
 PHYSICAL PROPERTIES are properties of a substance. Some common ones
are: colour, density, melting point, boiling point, etc.

PHYSICAL CHANGE involves the conversion of a substance from one state of matter
to another, without changing its chemical composition (no change in chemical
formula).
Example: Freezing of liquid water into solid ice

H2O (liquid water) H2O (solid ice)

Physical Property Examples
Physical Change Examples
CHEMICAL PROPERTIES are properties of a substance describing a chemical
change. Some common ones are: reactivity, flammability, corrosiveness, etc.

A CHEMICAL CHANGE (Chemical Reaction) happens when a substance changes

into one or more new substances (chemical formula changes)
Example: Reaction of sodium and water to produce NaOH and hydrogen gas

Na (s) + H2O (l) NaOH (aq) + H2 (g)

Following observations are evidence of a chemical change (chemical reaction)

1. A change in color
2. A new gas is observed (often as bubbles)
3. A new solid is observed (called a PRECIPITATE)
4. Production of light
5. A change in temperature (hotter or colder)
 Concept Check
• Are these changes chemical changes or
physical changes?
a) Cutting Physical

b) Burning Chemical
c) Freezing Physical
d) Dissolving Physical
 Law of Constant Composition
• All elements and compounds are the same all
across the world
• Example: Water is H2O in Qatar and in Canada
– If the formula changes, the compound is no longer
water

• This is called the LAW OF

CONSTANT COMPOSITION
 Law of Multiple Proportions
• If the same elements make up different
compounds it is also in whole number ratios.
• Example: CO and CO2 are different compounds
– It is not written: C½O

• This is called the LAW OF MULTIPLE

PROPORTIONS
 Law of Conservation of Mass
• Matter cannot be created or destroyed.
• In a chemical reaction, the mass of the reactants will always be equal to
the mass of the products.
 Mixture
• PURE SUBSTANCES
– Elements
– Compounds

• MIXTURE: a combination of 2+ chemicals

– Can be separated by physical means
 Mixtures
• There are 2 types of mixtures:
HETEROGENEOUS HOMOGENEOUS
MIXTURE MIXTURE
• Not usually mixed evenly • Mixed evenly
• Can sometimes see both • Looks like 1 substance
parts of mixture • e.g., saline, sugar in water,
• e.g., undissolved solid in
filtered tea in water
oil, milk, blood