A catalyst is a substance that speeds up the rate of a chemical
reaction. It is an additional substance that is unchanged at the end of the reaction. In a catalytic converter the catalyst itself is often a combination of platinum, palladium, and rhodium. When the reactants come into contact more often, the reaction will happen at a faster rate; two substances cant react unless they come into contact! A higher temperature causes an increase in the reaction rate. And finally, the rate of reaction is affected by the phase of the reactants. For example, if both reactants were solids, the chemical reaction would occur at a slower rate than if both were liquids that mixed more easily. The nucleus of an atom contains the atoms protons, which are positively charged, and the atoms neutrons, which are uncharged. The negatively charged electrons are found outside the nucleus. Protons=positive Neutrons=neutral (uncharged) Electrons=negative Electrons are very small subatomic particles that are found in the space surrounding the nucleus of the atom. They are organized in layers called shells. Both solids and liquids have a definite volume and density, at least at a steady temperature and pressure. Gases do not. Covalent bonds occur when electron pairs are shared between atoms. This is most likely to occur between elements that have similar electronegativities. According to the octet rule, outermost electron shells must contain eight electrons to be complete. This dictates (loosely) how elements tend to combine (so that each element has eight electrons in its outermost, or valence, electron shell).
Metallic bonding is an attractive force that occurs between a sea
of delocalized electrons. In other words, metallic bonding occurs when there is a lattice of positively charged ions sharing free, or delocalized, electrons. Bond energy is a measure of the strength of a chemical bond. It is defined as the amount of energy needed to break apart one mole of covalently bonded gas. If the bond energy for one mole of HCl is 430 kJ/mol, then the bond energy of 4 moles is 4 times larger. This leaves you with 1720 kJ/mol. Ionic compounds tend to be hard and brittle. This is because the strong interactions between oppositely charges ions hold the particles in relatively fixed positions. Ionic bonds form between metals (found in the left side of the Periodic Table) and non-metals (found in the upper-right hand of the Periodic Table). This positioning means that there is a large difference in electronegativity between metals and non-metals; they have opposite charges and will attract each other. A nuclear reaction is the process in which changes occur in the nucleus of an atom (or more than one). In nuclear reactions, elements can change. Nuclear fusion is the process that powers active stars. In the suns core, hydrogen nuclei are converted to helium nuclei. This reaction also produces gamma rays, which are very high-energy photons. A molecule is formed when two or more atoms join together chemically. Molecules are always neutrally charged; they have no net charge. Molecules are two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds. Decreasing the temperature of a gas at a constant pressure will
also decrease the volume. As temperature decreases, so does the
kinetic energy of the gas molecules; the molecules move less rapidly and fill a smaller space. A carboxyl group is made up of one carbon atom, two oxygen atoms, and 1 hydrogen atom: (C(O)OH). This group makes up, along with the R group, carboxylic acids. CH3COOH is the chemical formula for acetic acid, also known as ethanoic acid. Acetic acid is the second simplest carboxylic acid and makes vinegar smell and taste as it does. Solutions are homogeneous. This means that everything in the solution is evenly spread out and thoroughly mixed. For instance, when you add sugar to water and stir, the sugar dissolves and is spread throughout your glass.