Basic Chemistry Concepts

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Atom

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The smallest unit of matter that retains the chemical identity of the element.

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Electromagnetic Spectrum

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The range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, including the wavelengths or frequencies of visible and invisible forms of energy, including radio, microwaves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-rays, and gamma.

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Electron

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A negatively charged subatomic particle that is responsible for an atom's reactivity.

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Electron Cloud

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The region of space outside the nucleus of an atom where electrons are located; contains the vast majority of an atom's volume.

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Emission Spectrum

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The discrete energies of light or quantized frequencies, that an atom emits as an electron transitions from a higher energy state to a lower energy state.

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Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle

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Showed mathematical evidence that we cannot simultaneously know both the position and speed of a particle (e.g., electron and photon) with accuracy.

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Ion

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An atom that has a charge due to the gain or loss of electrons.

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Neutron

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A subatomic particle in the nucleus that has no charge.

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Nucleus

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The dense center of an atom that contains protons and neutrons, most of the atom's mass.

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Proton

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A positively charged subatomic particle in the nucleus that gives an atom its identity.