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REPORTING CATEGORY 1: MATTER AND ENERGY
1. Name the 3 particles of an atom. Identify the charge and location of each.
Protons (positive; inside nucleus), Neutrons (neutral/none; inside nucleus), Electrons (negative; outside nucleus)
2. Identify which particle(s) play a role in calculating the atom’s overall charge and
which particle(s) play a role in calculating the atom’s overall mass.
Protons and Neutrons: Overall mass; Protons and Electrons: Overall charge
3. Identify the charge of the nucleus and the charge of the entire atom.
Nucleus has a positive charge (because of protons) and overall atom is neutral (because protons inside nucleus
should balance out with electrons outside nucleus)
4. Where can most of an atom’s mass be found?
Inside the nucleus (because protons and neutrons, both inside the nucleus, have a mass; Electrons, outside the
nucleus, are so small that they do not have a big enough impact on the atom’s mass)
5. What determines an element’s identity above all other things?
Its atomic number (the number of protons)—No 2 elements on the Periodic Table have the same atomic number
6. What determines an element’s chemical properties, including reactivity?
The number of valence electrons—Group 18 has the maximum number of valence electrons possible, so it is the
most stable group. Group 1 and 17 are the most reactive because they are so close to having a full outer shell
7. What are columns on the Periodic Table?—What are they called?
Columns go up and down (vertically); They are called groups or families
8. What are rows on the Periodic Table?—What are they called?
Rows run side to side (horizontally); They are called periods
9. What do all elements in the same column have in common?
They all have the same number of valence electrons (with the exception of He in group 18) and similar properties
10. Where are metals, nonmetals, and metalloids located on the Periodic Table?
Metals are to the left of zigzag; Nonmetals are the right (with the exception of H); Metalloids are along the zigzag
11. What are some physical properties of metals? Of nonmetals?
Metals are hard, shiny, good conductors of heat and electricty, malleable (hammer into sheets easily), and
sometimes are good magnets; Nonmetals are crumbly (not hard), dull, poor conductors of heat and electricity, and
are not attracted by magnets
12. What is the trend for reactivity of metals? What is it for nonmetals?
Reactivity decreases from left to right for metals (group 1 most reactive) and increases from left to right for
nonmetals (group 17 most reactive)
13. What is the trend for density of metals? Nonmetals?
Density increases from top to bottom for both metals and nonmetals (elements with greater density towards the
bottom of the Periodic Table)
14. What is the trend for melting point of metals? Nonmetals?
Melting point decreases from top to bottom for metals (higher melting point towards top) and increases, like
density, from top to bottom for nonmetals (higher melting point towards the bottom)
15. How can we differentiate between an element and a compound/molecule?
An element is just one symbol (only 1st letter capitalized); Compounds/molecules have more than one element
stuck together
16. How many elements, atoms, and compounds are represented by the following
chemical formula? 2(NH 4 ) 3 PO 4
4 elements (N, H, P, O); 40 atoms (6 N, 24 H, 2 P, and 8 O), and 2 compounds (based on the coefficient of 2)
17. What are the 5 key clues that a chemical reaction has occurred?
Change in temperature, change in properties, change in color, formation of a gas (bubbling), formation of a solid
(precipitate)—1 or all of the clues could indicate a chemical reaction (Remember phase changes are not
chemical—They are physical changes, so often need to look at more than temperature to determine whether it is
a chemical reaction or not)
18. What key thing happens in all chemical reactions/equations?
Elements are rearranged to form new substances—nothing is lost or gained
19. Give an everyday example of a chemical change and of a physical change.
Chemical change: Wood burning in a fire; Physical change: Water freezing
20. Give an example of a chemical change that occurs in the body, as well as a
physical change that occurs in the body.
Chemical change: Digesting food; Physical change: Chewing food before swallowing
21. When does a chemical equation represent Lavoisier’s Law of Conservation of
Mass?
When it is balanced (doesn’t necessarily have to have coefficients to be balanced!)
22. How do we know if an equation is balanced or not?
When like elements on each side of the arrow are equal in number
23. What is the location of the reactants in a chemical equation?—the products?
Reactants are the left of the arrow (yields sign); Products are to the right
24. How do synthesis and decomposition reactions differ in terms of how many
reactants and products each one has?
Synthesis reactions have multiple reactants and only 1 product (combining things to make one substance);
Decomposition reactions have 1 reactant and multiple products (one thing breaking down into its components)
25. How are the replacement reactions similar to one another and how do they differ
from one another?
Similarities: Replacement reactions both have a plus sign on both sides of the arrow
Differences: Double replacement is nothing but compounds, Single replacement has some single elements
26. Where do we look to find the number of protons, neutrons, electrons, and
valence electrons of an element on the Periodic Table?
Protons is the number at the top of the square (equal to the number of electrons as well), Subtract mass (number
at the bottom minus atomic number (number at the top) to get number of neutrons, Look at group number (and
follow rules) to find number of valence electrons
27. What is the maximum number of electrons that can be held on the 1st, 2nd, and
3rd energy levels of an atom?
1st = 2, 2nd = 8, 3rd = 18
28. What is the formula used to calculate the density of an unknown substance?—
What tools might we use to help us determine each variable for the equation?
Density equals Mass divided by Volume; We could use a triple beam balance to find the mass and a graduated
cylinder to find the volume (dividing the two to find the density)
29. How do food chains differ from food webs?
A food chain is just one sample showing the flow of energy from organism to organism; A food web shows
multiple food chains connected
30. What is at the bottom of a food web?
Producers
31. Give an accurate example of how energy flows through a food web.
Producers, 1st Level Consumers, 2nd Level Consumers, 3rd Level Consumers
32. What is the role of decomposers in a food web?
They break down wastes or the remains of dead organisms