Chapter 1 Chemistry: An Introduction

QUESTION Which of the following statements is false? A knowledge of chemistry is useful to almost everyone. The principles of chemistry are inherently neither good nor bad – it’s what we do with this knowledge that really matters. A major by-product of studying chemistry is that you will become a better problem solver. Chemical industries are the ones responsible for all our environmental problems today.

ANSWER Choice #4 is false. Although chemical industries have contributed to some environmental problems, they are not responsible for all of them. The industries that apply the chemical sciences are now determined to be part of the solution to our environmental ills rather than part of the problem. Section 1.1: Chemistry: An Introduction

QUESTION synthesizing decomposing changes observations Chemistry can be defined as the science that deals with the materials of the universe and the ____________ that these materials undergo. synthesizing decomposing changes observations

ANSWER Choice #3 is the correct answer. Most of the phenomena that occur in the world around us involve chemical changes, changes where one or more substances become different substances. Section 1.2: What is Chemistry?

QUESTION What is my friend’s illness? I think my friend has the flu. One of the steps in the scientific method is to state the problem and collect data (make observations). Which of the following is an example of stating the problem? What is my friend’s illness? I think my friend has the flu. My friend is lethargic and will not eat. My friend has a fever of 102.3°F.

ANSWER Choice #1 is the correct answer. This is the problem in which you will have to apply the rest of the scientific method in order to come up with a reasonable answer. Section 1.4: The Scientific Method

QUESTION What is my friend’s illness? I think my friend has the flu. One of the steps in the scientific method is to state the problem and collect data (make observations). Which of the following is an example of a quantitative observation? What is my friend’s illness? I think my friend has the flu. My friend is lethargic and will not eat. My friend has a fever of 102.3°F.

ANSWER Choice #4 is the correct answer. A quantitative observation is called a measurement and involves a number and a unit. Section 1.4: The Scientific Method

QUESTION What is my friend’s illness? I think my friend has the flu. One of the steps in the scientific method is to state the problem and collect data (make observations). Which of the following is an example of a qualitative observation? What is my friend’s illness? I think my friend has the flu. My friend is lethargic and will not eat. My friend has a fever of 102.3°F.

ANSWER Choice #3 is the correct answer. A qualititative observation does not involve a number. Section 1.4: The Scientific Method

QUESTION What is my friend’s illness? I think my friend has the flu. Another step in the scientific method is to formulate hypotheses. Which of the following is an example of formulating a hypothesis? What is my friend’s illness? I think my friend has the flu. My friend is lethargic and will not eat. My friend has a fever of 102.3°F.

ANSWER Choice #2 is the correct answer. A hypothesis is a possible explanation for the observation(s). Section 1.4: The Scientific Method

QUESTION Which of the following statements is false? Science is a framework for gaining and organizing knowledge. Science is not simply a set of facts but also a plan of action – a procedure for processing and understanding certain types of information. To explain the behavior of a given part of nature, we repeat the steps of the scientific method many times. A theory and a model are two separate (and different) ideas.

ANSWER Choice #4 is false. A theory is often called a model. Section 1.4: The Scientific Method

QUESTION State the problem. Make observations. Formulate a hypothesis. Which of the steps in the scientific method is missing from the following situation? “Your instructor is holding a balloon and quickly inhales some of the gas inside the balloon. He then speaks and his voice changes to a high-pitched sound (and sounds quite funny!). He then asks you to determine what gas was inside the balloon that he inhaled. Based on your observations, you conclude that the gas must be helium.” State the problem. Make observations. Formulate a hypothesis. Perform experiments.

ANSWER Choice #4 is missing. Experiments must be performed to test and see if the gas is in fact helium. For example, a good test to perform would be a flammability test. This would produce new observations that could support or contradict your hypothesis. Section 1.4: The Scientific Method

QUESTION Which of the following statements is false? A law is a summary of observed behavior. For example, studies of innumerable chemical changes have shown that the total mass of the materials involved is the same before and after the change. A theory is an explanation of behavior – why nature behaves in a particular way. If a theory is disproven, then all of the observations that support that theory must also be disproven. A law tells what happens.

ANSWER Choice #3 is false. A theory can be wrong in its attempt to explain why a behavior occurs but that does not mean that the observed behavior in itself is also wrong. Section 1.4: The Scientific Method

QUESTION To be successful in chemistry, you must: know the vocabulary and memorize certain pieces of information. make an attempt to solve a problem and then analyze the feedback (learn from your mistakes). practice solving problems and ask for help when confused or really frustrated. All of the above.

ANSWER Choice #4 is correct! Section 1.5: Learning Chemistry