2 The Nature of Matter

By the end of this chapter, you should be able to do the following:

• Relate the observable properties and characteristics of elements, compounds, and mixtures to the concept of
atoms and molecules
• Write the names and formulae for ionic and covalent compounds, given appropriate charts or data tables
• Describe the characteristics of matter
• Differentiate between physical and chemical changes
• Select an appropriate way of separating the components of a mixture

By the end of this chapter, you should know the meaning of these key terms:
• acid
• atom
• base
• boiling point
• chemical change
• chemical property
• chemical reactivity
• chromatography
• compound
• distillation
• element
• evaporation
• filtration
• freezing point
• gas
• ion charge
• ion/ionic
• kinetic molecular theory
• liquid
• mass
• matter
• melting point
• metal
• mixture
• molecular formula
• molecule
• monatomic ions
• non-metal
• physical change
• physical property
• pure substance
• salt
• solid Your cellphone, your food, your books, your school, you — everything is made up
of matter. How matter can be combined into compounds that form all the different
parts of your cellphone depends on physical and chemical properties and physical
and chemical changes. In this chapter, you’ll learn about the nature of matter and its
properties.

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 59

2.1 Properties of Matter

Warm Up
1. List four properties of snow.
___________________________________ _____________________________________
___________________________________ _____________________________________
2. Name or describe two different types of snow.
___________________________________ _____________________________________
3. Suggest why there are different types of snow. Hint: Think about why snow can have different properties.
___________________________________________________________________________

Chemistry is the science concerned with the properties, composition, and behaviour
Classifying Material of matter. Matter is anything that has mass and occupies space. Mass is the amount of
Properties matter contained in a thing. Usually the mass of common things is measured in grams (g)
or kilograms (kg).
Properties are the qualities common to a thing or group of things. The relationship
between matter and its properties is a very important aspect of chemistry. Properties are
classified as being extensive or intensive.
Extensive properties are qualities that are or
depend on the amount of the material. Examples of
extensive properties are mass, volume, the electrical
resistance of a copper wire (which depends on its
diameter and length), and the flexibility of a metal sheet
(which depends on its thickness).
Intensive properties are qualities that do not
depend on the amount of the material. Melting point
and density are examples of intensive properties. The
gold in Figure 2.1.1 has a melting point of 1064°C
and a density of 19.3 g/cm3. Put another way, gold’s
melting point and density are the same for all samples
of gold. These properties can therefore be used to Figure 2.1.1 Gold’s melting point and
identify that material. Other intensive properties such density are two intensive properties
as temperature, concentration, and tension differ from that can be used to identify samples.
sample to sample of the same material.

Every material possesses a unique set of intensive properties that can be used to
identify it.

60 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

 You may be familiar from previous science courses with the alchemist’s four
elements of matter: earth, air, fire, and water. These elements were not equivalent to
matter in modern chemistry. For the alchemists, earth, air, fire, and water represented
four fundamental properties of matter. Alchemists believed that these properties
existed independent of matter and could be added to matter or removed from matter
to transform it. In other words, the alchemists had it backwards: they believed that a
material depends on its properties rather that the properties depending on the material.

The properties of matter are also classified as being either physical properties or chemical
Physical Properties properties. Physical properties describe physical changes, which are changes of state
versus Chemical or form. Physical properties also describe the physical characteristics of a material.
Properties Chemical properties describe chemical changes. Chemical changes are those in which
a new substance(s) or species is formed (Figure 2.1.2). Chemical properties also describe
the tendency of a chemical to react. Chemical properties describe relationships or
interactions between different forms of matter. They include a chemical’s stability, its
reactivity with other chemicals, its toxicity, and its flammability.
Most physical properties describe relationships or interactions between matter and
energy. A material’s electrical properties, magnetic properties, thermal properties, optical
properties, acoustical properties, radiological properties, and mechanical properties
(various indicators of strength) are all classified as physical properties. For example,
a material can be classified as opaque, transparent, or translucent by how it interacts
with light. Other physical properties you may have learned about include temperature,
density, viscosity, and surface tension. In this section we’ll focus on thermal properties
(those related to thermal energy and heat).

Physical properties describe physical changes. Chemical properties describe

interactions between different forms of matter.

Figure 2.1.2 The wood that is burning to heat the pot is undergoing chemical changes. The boiling soup in
the pot is undergoing a physical change.

Matter is composed of basic units or particles that move independently. In some forms
Levels of of matter, these particles are atoms while in others these particles are groups of atoms
Organization in called molecules or groups of ions called formula units. Physical changes involve the
Matter rearrangement of a material’s own particles. Chemical changes involve the reorganization
of two or more substances’ atoms in relation to each other.
Physical properties depend solely on the relationships between the material’s own
particles. Chemical properties depend on the difference between the atoms’ current

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 61

 relationships with other atoms and new relationships with different atoms. For molecular
substances, physical changes alter intermolecular relationships (those between the
molecules) while chemical changes alter intramolecular relationships (those within
molecules). Physical changes generally involve less energy than chemical changes.
Changing the positions of molecules relative to one another involves less energy than
changing the positions of atoms within molecules. Nature forms hierarchies or levels of
organization. Subatomic particles (protons, neutrons and electrons) form atoms which in
turn may form molecules which in turn form materials.

Quick Check
1. What is matter?
_____________________________________________________________
2. What is a property?
____________________________________________________________
3. What is an extensive property?
_________________________________________________
4. What is a chemical property?
__________________________________________________

Kinetic energy is any form of energy that cannot be stored. The greater an object’s speed
Kinetic Energy and mass, the greater its kinetic energy. The particles of matter possess a type of kinetic
energy called mechanical energy because of their continuous motion. Independent
atoms and molecules have three forms of mechanical energy or types of motion:
translational (movement from place to place), rotational (movement about an axis), and
vibrational (a repetitive “back and forth” motion).
Thermal energy is the total mechanical energy of an object’s or a material’s particles.
Thermal Energy, It is an extensive property as it depends on the size of the object or the amount of the
Temperature, and material. Within any substance there is a “normal” distribution of kinetic energy among its
Heat particles due to their random collisions. This is very similar to the “normal” distribution of
marks among the members of a class. Temperature is the average mechanical energy of
the particles that compose a material and is therefore an intensive property. An increase
in a material’s temperature indicates that the average speed of its particles has increased.
A bathtub full of cold water has more thermal energy than a cup of boiling water
because the bathtub contains so many more molecules even though they are moving
more slowly. Consider the following analogy. Which contains more money, a bathtub full
of $5 bills or a cup full of $20 bills? Despite the greater denomination of the bills in the
cup, the bathtub still contains more money because it contains so many more bills.
A physical property is largely defined by the instrument used to measure it.
Thermometers are used to measure temperature. There are many kinds of thermometers.
All thermometers work by correlating some other property of a material to its
temperature. Some electronic thermometers contain a small semiconductor, the electric
resistance of which correlates to its temperature. Some medical thermometers contain
liquid crystals that change colour with varying temperature. Some thermometers
correlate the temperature of a material to the infrared radiation it emits. Scientists can

62 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

 infer the temperature of luminous materials from the visible light the materials emit. The
standard laboratory thermometer uses the expansion of a column of liquid, usually tinted
alcohol or mercury, as an index of its temperature. As a natural consequence of moving
faster, the thermometer’s particles (atoms or molecules) strike each other harder and
spread farther from each other. The expansion of the thermometer fluid is proportional to
the average kinetic energy of its particles.

Figure 2.1.3 Some different types of thermometers

Most thermometers, including the standard laboratory thermometer, actually

display the temperature of the thermometer itself rather than that of the fluid it is
immersed in. The scientific definition of heat is the energy transferred from one body to
another because of a difference in temperature. An object immersed in a fluid will transfer
or exchange thermal energy with the fluid until both arrive at the same temperature thus
the thermometer ultimately becomes the same temperature as the fluid it is immersed in.
This however introduces a “Catch-22” into measuring temperature: the thermometer can’t
measure the temperature without altering it. When a cold thermometer is placed into hot
water, the thermometer heats up and the water cools down until they are at the same
temperature. For this reason, chemists include thermometers in their apparatus at the
beginning of experiments so they will not have to introduce them into the fluid later.

Quick Check

1. What is temperature? __________________________________________________________

2. What is thermal energy? _______________________________________________________

3. What is heat? ________________________________________________________________

Under normal conditions, matter exists in three states: solid, liquid, or gas. The three
The States of Matter states can be defined using both an operational definition and a conceptual definition
as in Table 2.1.1. An operational definition consists of observable characteristics that
help us classify things as belonging or not belonging to the defined group. Conceptual
definitions explain what operational definitions describe.

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 63

Table 2.1.1 The States of Matter

Operational Definition
State Conceptual Definition
Shape Volume

Each particle bounces around

fixed fixed pushing the ones surrounding
it outward. The particles have
not spread far enough apart
solid
for any particle to fit through
a gap between the particles
surrounding it so the structure
remains intact.

adopts its The particles are travelling

fixed faster and striking each other
container’s
harder. As a result they have
liquid spread apart to an extent where
they can slip by one another.

The particles have been struck

adopts its adopts its
with enough force to escape
container’s container’s
their attractions to the other
particles in the liquid. They
gas
are now either too far apart
or moving too fast for their
attractions to affect their
movement.

The kinetic molecular theory explains what happens to matter when the kinetic energy
The Kinetic of particles changes. The key points of the kinetic molecular theory are:
Molecular Theory
1. All matter is made up of tiny particles.
2. There is empty space between particles.
3. Particles are always moving. Their freedom to move depends on whether they are in a
solid, liquid, or gas, as described in Table 2.1.1 above.
4. The particles move because of energy. The amount of energy the particles have
determine how fast the particles move and how much or far they move.

64 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

 Figure 2.1.4 identifies the three states of matter and the terms for each phase
change. These phase changes depend on temperature. The following terms describe
changes from one state to another.
• freezing: liquid to solid
• melting: solid to liquid
• evaporation (also known as vapourization): liquid to gas
• condensation: gas to liquid
• sublimation: solid to gas
• deposition: gas to solid

Gas
condensation evaporation

deposition Liquid sublimation

solidification melting

Solid
REMOVE HEAT ADD HEAT
Figure 2.1.4 Changes of state

Quick Check
1. Explain the difference between the operational and conceptual definition of a liquid.
___________________________________________________________________________
2. Describe the differences in kinetic energy between the particles in a cube of ice and a glass of water.
___________________________________________________________________________
3. How does heat contribute to a phase change?
___________________________________________________________________________

Melting Point
Some Physical A material’s melting point is the temperature of its solid as it changes to a liquid. Melting
Properties of Pure occurs because the independent particles (atoms, molecules, or ions) have spread far
Substances enough apart so that they can just slip through
the gaps between the atoms surrounding them.
The melting point of a substance depends on the
strength of the attractive forces (bond strength)
between its independent particles as well as the
mass and symmetry of the particles. The freezing
point and melting point of most substances are
the same. Thus, the melting point may also be
described as the temperature at which a solid can
be immersed indefinitely in its own liquid because Figure 2.1.5 At the melting point, a
substance can exist in both the solid and
its rate of melting equals its rate of freezing. liquid states.

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 65

 Boiling Point
Boiling is a special case of evaporation. Any particle in the
liquid state may evaporate. The puddles on your street
evaporate but you’ve never seen a puddle boil. The gas
formed by a substance that boils above room temperature is
called vapour.
Boiling is the vigorous bubbling that occurs within
the body of a liquid as it vaporizes internally. A bubble is a
quantity of gas or vapour surrounded by liquid. Imagine a
pot of water being heated (Figure 2.1.6). Some molecules
at the bottom of the pot are receiving so much heat and
consequently moving so fast that they bounce around
pushing other water molecules away from them. This
Figure 2.1.6 Vigorously boiling water. The bubbles are rising to produces a bubble. The vapour pressure inside the bubble
the surface without collapsing. acts to inflate the bubble while the weight of the water and
air above the bubble creates an opposing pressure that acts
to collapse the bubble. As the bubble rises, the water vapour molecules transfer energy to
the water molecules around the bubble. This causes the vapour molecules to lose energy
so the bubble shrinks and collapses before it reaches the surface.
The entire pot of water is not yet boiling because it has not yet reached the boiling
point. This process continues, transferring energy from the bottom of the pot to the
top until all of the water molecules are moving as fast as possible without entering the
gas phase. Only at this point, when the bubbles rise to the surface of the water without
collapsing is the entire pot of water boiling. Just before breaking through the water’s
surface the bubble is only opposed by the atmospheric pressure above the liquid. One
definition of boiling point is the temperature at which the substance’s vapour pressure
(the pressure inside that bubble) equals the surrounding air pressure. The air pressure
above the sample could be lowered by placing the sample in a vacuum chamber or by
taking it to a higher elevation. This would lower the substance’s boiling point because the
bubbles would have less opposing pressure.
Boiling point is also defined as a substance’s highest possible temperature in the
liquid state at any given atmospheric pressure. It therefore represents the highest kinetic
energy the substance’s particles can possess in the liquid state. As the temperature of
the water approaches 100°C, more and more of the molecules have their maximum
kinetic energy in the liquid state until at 100°C all the molecules are moving at the same
maximum speed in the liquid state.
Boiling point, vapour pressure, and volatility are three closely related properties that
are all relevant to boiling. Volatile substances are substances that readily evaporate or
evaporate at high rates. They have high vapour pressures and low boiling points.

Heat of Fusion (Hf )

The heat of fusion is the amount of heat required to melt a specified amount of a
substance at its melting point. It represents the difference of potential energy between
the solid and liquid states since only the substance’s state, not its temperature, is
changing. Potential energy is stored energy. Objects have stored energy by virtue of
their position or shape. The heat of fusion is released when the specified quantity of the
substance freezes. Heat of fusion is measured in joules per gram.

66 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

 Heat of Vaporization (H
Hv)
The heat of vaporization is the amount of heat required to evaporate a specified
amount of a substance at its boiling point. It represents the difference of potential energy
between the liquid and gas states since only the substance’s state, not its temperature,
is changing. The heat of vaporization is released when the specified quantity of the
substance condenses. The heat of vaporization indicates the strength of the force holding
the liquid particles together in the liquid state. Heat of vaporization is measured in joules
per gram.

Quick Check
1. What is melting? __________________________________________________________________________

2. What is boiling? ___________________________________________________________________________

3. What is the heat of fusion? ___________________________________________________________________

As energy is added to a solid, the temperature changes. These changes in temperature

Using a Heating can be illustrated in a graph called a heating curve. Figure 2.1.7 illustrates an ideal heating
Curve to Describe curve for water. Note the first plateau in the graph. As a solid melts slowly in its own
the Physical liquid, the temperature of the liquid will not rise if the melting converts kinetic energy
Properties of a into potential energy as fast as the heat is being added. As the amount of solid decreases,
Substance it becomes less able to remove the heat as fast as it is being added. The total amount
of heat needed to melt the water is the heat of fusion. Once all the ice has melted the
temperature will begin to increase. This is shown on the experimental heating curve
by the melting plateau starting to curve upward on the right, rather than remaining
horizontal.

Temperature vs. Added Heat

(g)
boiling
100
Temperature

(l)
(ºC)

melting
0
(s)

Hf Hv
Added Heat
(joules)

Figure 2.1.7 Ideal heating curve of water (not to scale)

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 67

 Reactivity
Some Chemical Reactivity refers to whether a substance reacts or to its reaction rate. Both of these
Properties of properties are temperature dependent but otherwise depend on different underlying
Substances factors. Reaction rates depend on the path from reactants to products, particularly
which reactant bonds require breaking. Reaction rates also depend on properties such
as reactant concentration. On the other hand, whether or not a reaction will occur
depends only on the beginning and end states. Chemical reactions occur because the
organization and potential energy of the atoms in the products are favoured over those in
the reactants.

Heat of Formation
The heat of formation is the heat released when a substance is formed from its elements.
The heat of formation is measured in joules per gram.

Heat of Combustion
The heat of combustion is the heat released when a specified amount of a substance
undergoes complete combustion with oxygen. It is usually measured in units such as
joules or kilojoules per gram.

Table 2.1.2 Some Thermal Properties of Selected Substances

Melting Boiling Heat of Heat of Heat of Heat of

Point Point Fusion Vaporization Combustion Formation
Substance (°C) (°C) (J/g) (J/g) (J/g) (J/g)
methane –182.5 –161.6 69 511 54 000 4 679

ammonia –77.7 –33.3 333 1 374 22 471 2 710

water 0.0 100.0 334 2 259 — 13 400

magnesium 650 1091 349 5 268 12 372 —

68 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

 2.1 Activity: The Thickness of Aluminum Foil
Question
30.0 cm
What is the thickness of a sheet of aluminum foil?
l

Background w
The thickness of a sheet of aluminum foil is an extensive property that is difficult to t
measure directly with reasonable precision and accuracy. The thickness of the foil
30.5 cm
can however be derived by dividing its volume by the surface area of one side as
proven below: Not to scale

volume length × width × thickness

surface area = length × width
= thickness

Obviously you can’t calculate the volume of the sheet using the formula V = lwt because you don’t know the foil’s
thickness. You will have to calculate its volume by dividing its mass (another extensive property) by its density (an
intensive property).
Procedure
1. Mark two points 30 cm apart on one edge of a piece of aluminum foil (see diagram).
2. Repeat step 1 on the parallel edge.
3. Draw a straight line between adjacent points on the opposite edges.
4. Use a razor blade or scissors to carefully cut out your marked section of foil.
5. Scrunch up your piece of foil and weigh it on a milligram scale.
Results and Discussion

Length Width S. Area Mass Density Volume Thickness

(cm) (cm) (cm2) (g) (g/cm3) (cm3) (cm)

30.0 30.5 2.702

1. Calculate the surface area of one side of the foil (length × width). The standard width of a roll of aluminum foil is
30.5 cm, as indicated on the box.

2. Calculate the volume of the piece of foil.

1 cm3 Al
volume = _________ g Al × = cm3
2.702 g Al

3. Calculate the thickness of the sheet of foil.

volume cm3
thickness = = = ________________ cm
surface area cm2

4. Aluminum atoms have a diameter of 0.286 nm. If aluminum atoms were stacked linearly, one on top of the
other, how many atoms thick would this sheet of Al foil be?

5. This technique is remarkably reliable. Compare your results to those of the other groups.

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 69

2.1 Review Questions
1. In each pair of items below, which is a form of 6. Whether a property is intensive or extensive often
matter and which is a property? depends on how it is expressed. State whether each
(a) vapour, vapour pressure of the following physical properties is intensive or
extensive.

(b) freezing point, solid (a) temperature

2. What are two properties shared by all matter? (b) thermal energy

(c) thermal expansion (the change in volume in

response to a change in temperature)

(d) coefficient of thermal expansion (the fractional

3. How was the alchemists’ view of matter and its change in volume per degree Celsius change in
properties different from ours today? temperature)

(e) specific heat capacity (the joules of heat required

to raise 1 g of the material by 1°C)

(f) heat capacity (the joules of heat required to raise

the temperature of the object 1°C)

4. Describe three general properties that would be

desirable for a material(s) being used for the outer 7. State whether each phrase refers to a physical or a
sole of tennis shoes. chemical property.
(a) changes of state or form

(b) relationships or interactions between matter

and energy

(c) only evident through a chemical reaction or a

5. You sometimes choose one brand over another lack thereof
because it has properties that you prefer. List three
properties of paper towels that might influence your
(d) dependent solely on the relationships between
choice of which brand to purchase.
the material’s own particles

(e) emerging at the material level

(f) relationships or interactions between different

forms of matter

70 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

8. State whether each of the following properties is 12. Briefly explain what causes materials to expand at
physical or chemical. the particle level when heated.
(a) heat of vaporization

(b) heat of formation

(c) corrosion resistance

(d) electrical resistance

13. List the defining physical properties of each phase
(e) flammability (how easily something will burn or of matter; solids, liquids, and gases.
ignite)

(f) speed of sound through the material

9. Composite materials (or just composites) consist of

two or more constituent materials that adhere to
each other but remain separate and distinct (e.g. the 14. Does an individual atom or molecule have a melting
materials could be layered on each other). Why do point? Explain.
you think manufacturers sometimes use composite
materials in their products?

15. Describe what is occurring at the molecular level

when a material melts.
10. What two properties of particles affect the
temperature of the material they compose?

11. Density is mass per unit volume, commonly the 16. Why doesn’t the temperature of an ice water bath (a
amount of matter in one cubic centimetre of the mixture of ice and water) increase as it absorbs heat
material. What two properties of particles affect the from a classroom?
density of the material they compose?

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 71

17. Under what condition do all the particles of a liquid 21. Sensorial properties describe our senses of a
have the same kinetic energy? material. Rather than being the properties of
something, they are actually the properties of our
interaction with that thing. Are sensorial properties
such as taste and odour physical properties or are
they chemical properties?

18. Provide an operational (what to look for) and a

conceptual (an explanation) definition of boiling
point.
22. Label and describe briefly a physical change and a
chemical change on the drawing of the lit candle.

19. (a) Which is greater, a substance’s heat of fusion or

its heat of vaporization?

(b) Explain in terms of relationships why this would

be expected.

23. Students change classes at designated times

throughout the day in most secondary schools. How
20. (a) Which is greater, a substance’s heat of is this event like a chemical change or reaction?
vaporization or its heat of combustion?

(b) Explain in terms of relationships why this would

be expected.

72 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

2.2 The Classification of Matter

Warm Up
Most sentences or paragraphs in your textbooks could be classified as a definition, a description, an explanation,
a comparison, a sequence, an example, or a classification.

1. Give an example of a sport. ___________________________________

2. Name a class of sports. ___________________________________

3. What is the difference between an example of something and a class of something?

___________________________________________________________________________

We currently classify everything in the physical world as either a form of energy or a

Classifying Matter form of matter. Early chemists failed to distinguish between forms of energy and forms
of matter. They identified light, heat, electricity, and magnetism as substances. Any solid,
liquid, or gas is a form of matter. Matter can be further classified as shown in Figure 2.1.1.
Recall from section 2.1 that there are different types of definitions that describe
concepts. An operational definition is more descriptive, providing an operation that
helps us classify things as belonging or not belonging to the defined group. Conceptual
definitions explain what operational definitions describe. Table 2.2.1 shows operational
and conceptual definitions that distinguish between a pure substance and a mixture.

������

�������������� �������

������� ��������

Figure 2.2.1 Classification of matter

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 73

Table 2.2.1 Distinguishing Between a Pure Substance and a Mixture

Material Operational Definition Conceptual Definition

• all samples have the same proportions of • a material with atoms that are chemically
components combined in a fixed ratio
pure
• a material which in the solid phase has
substance
• a material with only one set of properties only one pattern and/or grouping of atoms
throughout
• a material with components that retain their
own individual identities and can thus be
• a material composed of more than one
mixture separated
substance
• the same components may be mixed in
different proportions
• a pure substance that cannot be • a pure substance composed of only one
element
decomposed type of atom
• a pure substance composed of more than
compound • a pure substance that can be decomposed
one type of atom

The particles that make up materials are also forms of matter. Chemists refer to all
the particles of matter collectively as chemical species. Just as materials are classified,
so are chemical species. Chemical species can be classified as neutral atoms, molecules,
or ions. These in turn can be further classified as types of atoms, molecules, and ions.
Atoms are composed of particles that can be classified as well. The initial classification
of chemical species will be discussed later in this section and the rest will be left to later
sections and later courses.

Quick Check
1. Use the words, substance and element in a sentence that describes how the two terms are related.
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Use the words, substance and mixture in a sentence that describes how the two terms are related.
___________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Give an example of an element, a compound, and a mixture.
________________________________________________________________________________________

74 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

 �������
Elements
����� ��������� ���������

������� ��������� ���� ������� ������ ����

����� ����������� ���
Figure 2.2.2 Classification of elements

The elements are further classified as metals, non-metals, and metalloids (Figure
2.2.2). About 80% of the elements are metals. The metals are separated from the non-
metals on the periodic table of the elements by a staircase beginning between boron and
aluminum as shown in Figure 2.2.3. The elements shaded in grey are generally considered
to be metalloids because they are intermediate in properties between the metals and
the non-metals. Hydrogen also has properties that are in-between those of the metals
and the non-metals. Although it has some chemical properties of metals, it has more in
common with non-metals and is classified as a non-metal for most purposes. Hydrogen is
such a unique element that it is usually considered to be in a group of its own.

���������� 1 2
H He
5 6 7 8 9 10
B C N O F Ne
13 14 15 16 17 18
Al Si P S Cl Ar
30 31 32 33 34 35 36
Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr
48 49 50 51 52 53 54
Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe
80 81 82 83 84 85 86
Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn

������
Figure 2.2.3 The location of metals, non-metals, and metalloids in the periodic table of the elements

Metals are good conductors of both heat and electricity. They are also malleable
(can be pounded into thin sheets), ductile (can be drawn into wires), and lustrous. Many
people have the misconception that metals are hard. It is actually alloys, mixtures
containing metals, which are hard. Metal oxides react with water to form bases
(hydroxides). For example:
Na2O + H2O → 2 NaOH
Non-metals are poor conductors of both heat and electricity. Many are gases at
room temperature but in the solid phase their crystals are brittle and shatter easily. Non-
metal oxides react with water to form acids. For example:
CO2 (g) + H2O(l) → H2CO3 (aq) (carbonic acid)
An element is described as being more or less metallic according to the extent
that it possesses these properties. Moving up and to the right in the periodic table,
there is a general trend toward decreasing metallic character from one element to the
next. As a consequence, there is no sharp demarcation between the metals and non-

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 metals. Instead, there is a group of elements called metalloids that exhibit some metallic
properties (although weakly) and some non-metallic properties. For example, silicon is
a semiconductor meaning that it conducts electricity but poorly. Some elements have
different allotropes meaning different groupings or arrangements of the same atoms.
Some elements bordering on the metalloids have one allotrope that could be considered
a metalloid and another or others that are metallic or non-metallic. For example, one
allotrope of carbon called diamond is non-metallic whereas another allotrope called
graphite is semi-metallic.
Both the metals and the non-metals are further classified according to more
selective criteria regarding their chemical and physical properties. These different groups
are easily identified and associated with a column or columns in the periodic table. For
example, the elements in the first column of the periodic table are called the alkali metals.

A compound word is one word that is made from more than one word, e.g. daycare.
Compounds A compound of matter is a pure substance composed of more than one type of atom.
A compound can be decompounded (we say decomposed). Decomposition is a type
of chemical reaction in which a single compound reacts to produce two or more new
substances. The process requires assemblages of chemically combined atoms to be
disassembled and then reassembled in a different manner. Specifically, they reassemble
into two or more new groupings or patterns of the atoms. For example:
2NaCl → 2Na + Cl2
K2CO3 → K2O + CO2
2H2O → 2H2 + O2
Compounds are classified in several ways. A few of the more common ways in which
a compound can be classified are as an organic or inorganic compound, as a molecular or
an ionic compound, as an electrolyte or a non-electrolyte, and as a binary or non-binary
compound. Some compounds are also classified as acids, bases, or salts.

Organic Compounds versus Inorganic Compounds

An organic compound is any compound that has carbon and hydrogen atoms. It may
have other types of atoms as well. All other compounds are inorganic, meaning not
organic. Organic chemistry is essentially the chemistry of carbon compounds, and
inorganic chemistry is the chemistry of all the other elements’ compounds. This must
surely seem like an unbalanced division of the science. However, because of carbon’s
unique ability to form extended chain structures, there are countless billions of carbon
compounds, while there are less than a thousand inorganic compounds. Living things
contain many inorganic compounds but for the most part they are built out of organic
compounds. Organic compounds will be covered in chapter 8.

Binary Compounds versus Non-binary Compounds

A binary compound is composed of only two elements. Hydrocarbons (compounds
consisting of only carbon and hydrogen atoms) are thus binary compounds whereas
carbohydrates are non-binary compounds because they contain carbon, hydrogen, and
oxygen atoms.

Ionic Compounds versus Molecular Compounds

An ion is a charged atom or group of atoms. Because ions are more stable than their
corresponding neutral atoms, the atoms of many elements exist almost exclusively

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 in nature as ions. Ionic compounds consist of positively and negatively charged ions
held together by their opposite electrical charges into long range, symmetrical packing
arrangements called ionic crystal lattices (Figure 2.2.4). The bond or attraction between
oppositely charged ions is appropriately called an ionic bond.

Na+
Cl-

Figure 2.2.4 An ionic crystal lattice Figure 2.2.5 A molecular compound

Non-metal atoms can also become more stable by sharing valence (outer) electrons
with each other. A shared pair of valence electrons that holds two atoms together is
appropriately called a covalent bond. A neutral group of covalently bonded atoms
is called a molecule and compounds consisting of molecules are called molecular
compounds.
Non-metals form molecular compounds with other non-metals but form ionic
compounds with metals.

Any compound containing a metal is an ionic compound.

Any compound containing only non-metals is a molecular compound, except
compounds containing the ammonium ion (NH4+) which are ionic.

Sample Problem — Classifying a Compound as Ionic or Molecular

State whether each of the following is an ionic compound or a molecular compound:
(a) NaCl (b) Cu(NO3)2 (c) P2O5

What to Think about How to Do It

If the compound contains a metal or the ammonium
ion then it is ionic, otherwise it is molecular.
(a) Na is a metal (a) NaCl is an ionic compound.
(b) Cu is a metal (b) Cu(NO3)2 is an ionic compound.
(c) P and O are both non-metals (c) P2O5 is a molecular compound.

Practice Problems — Classifying a Compound as Ionic or Molecular

1. State whether each of the following is an ionic compound or a molecular compound:
(a) CO2 ________________________ (d) Mg3(PO4)2 ________________________
(b) CaF2 ________________________ (e) Li2Cr2O7 ________________________
(c) C3H8 ________________________ (f) NH4Cl ________________________

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 Acids versus Bases versus Salts
Some compounds are also classified as acids, bases, or salts. There are both organic and
inorganic acids, bases, and salts.
From its formula, an acid appears to be a compound having one or more H+
ions bonded to an anion (e.g., HCl, H2SO4, H3PO4). In reality, acids are a special type of
molecular compound that can be induced to form these ions. This is a complex affair
you’ll learn about in Chemistry 12.
Chemists actually have three different conceptual definitions of acids and bases,
which they use interchangeably depending on the circumstance. The most common
definition of a base is a hydroxide. This is any compound containing the hydroxide (OH− )
ion. Examples include NaOH, Ca(OH)2, and Al(OH)3.
A salt is any ionic compound other than a hydroxide. A salt is thus one type of
ionic compound, the only other type being an Arrhenius base. Acids and bases react
to produce a salt and water. This type of reaction is called a neutralization reaction. For
example:
HCl + NaOH → NaCl + H2O

Quick Check
Circle the correct response.
1. Salts are (ionic or molecular). 3. AgBr is a(n) (acid, base, or salt).

2. Mg(OH)2 is a(n) (acid, base, or salt).

�������
Classification of
Mixtures ���������� ������������

��������� ��������
Figure 2.2.6 Classification of mixtures

Table 2.2.2 Distinguishing Between Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Mixtures

Material Operational Definition Conceptual Definition

Homogeneous a mixture that appears the same The individual particles are smaller than
mixture throughout 1 μm (a micrometer).
Heterogeneous a mixture that doesn’t appear the same At least some particles are larger than
mixture throughout 1 μm (a micrometer).

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 There are many instances where the scientific meaning of a word conflicts with its
general usage or even its literal meaning. As an example, the components of a material
do not need to be mixed for it to be a chemical mixture. Any material having atoms that
are not chemically combined in a fixed ratio is a chemical mixture and would be so even if
those atoms were organized in a uniform pattern. Conversely, any material having atoms
that have been chemically forced into a fixed ratio is a pure substance and would be so
even if those atoms were mixed. As an example, molten (melted) sodium chloride is a
pure substance. Even though its ions are mixed, they coexist in a chemically determined
ratio and cannot be separated.
The difference between the classes of mixtures is really a matter of degree, rather
than of kind. It can’t be overemphasized that there is no sharp demarcation between the
classes of mixtures but rather a general trend from smaller particles to larger particles in
moving from solutions to colloids to heterogeneous mixtures.
A homogeneous mixture is one that appears the same throughout. A
homogeneous mixture is not actually perfectly homogeneous. Atoms are not
homogeneous and therefore nothing composed of atoms is truly homogeneous. A
homogeneous mixture doesn’t even have the same proportions of atoms throughout
because every sample has a slightly different composition due to the random motion and
mixing of the particles. It can be difficult to distinguish between a homogeneous mixture
and a compound since both appear to be the same throughout. Whether or not the
constituents of air for example are chemically combined was still a point of contention
in the early 1800s. The French chemists, Proust and Berthollet, had an ongoing debate
over this issue. What Berthollet perceived as a compound that could vary in proportion,
Proust perceived as a physical mixture. As a prerequisite to his development of atomic
theory, John Dalton resolved the issue in 1808 by simply declaring that any process in
which elements do not combine in a fixed proportion is not a chemical process. Thus
any material having constituents that do not combine in a fixed proportion became a
mixture. This scheme proved to be so fruitful in advancing chemistry that it quickly found
general acceptance.

Solutions
A solution is a type of homogeneous mixture in which the constituent chemical species
do not aggregate to form any particles greater than 1 nm (nanometre). A solute is a
minor component of the mixture, generally what has been dissolved. The solvent is
the major component of the mixture, generally what the solute was dissolved in. Many
chemicals are in aqueous solution (dissolved in water). Our lakes and rivers, our oceans,
our drinks, our bodily fluids, and the bottles on the shelves of your laboratory are all
aqueous solutions. Chemists denote that a chemical is in aqueous solution with “aq” in
brackets after the formula (e.g., NaCl(aq)).
Solutions can be produced from materials in different phases (e.g., a solid can
dissolve in a liquid). Regardless of the constituents’ phases when undissolved, a solution is
a single phase, usually that of the solvent. If the solvent is a solid, it is melted to allow for
mixing and then cooled to solidify the mixture.

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 79

 Table 2.2.3 Examples of Solutions

Solute
Solvent Solid Liquid Gas
Solid steel, bronze mercury in gold hydrogen in palladium
Liquid salt water gasoline oxygen in water
Gas – – air

Colloids
A colloidal system consists of particles between 1 nm and 1 µm dispersed throughout a
continuous medium (Table 2.2.5). The particles of the dispersed phase are large molecules
(macromolecules) or aggregates of molecules that are invisible to the naked eye. Unlike
a solution, the colloid particles can be in a different phase than the dispersion medium
in which they are suspended. Any mixture of solid particles in a liquid, regardless of how
small the solid particles are, is a colloid or a mechanical mixture.
If a liquid is translucent (cloudy) then it is a colloid or a heterogeneous mixture. A
bright beam of light is not visible when shone through a solution because the particles
of a solution are too small to reflect or scatter the light. A bright beam of light is visible
however when shone through a colloid because the particles of the dispersed phase are
large enough to scatter and reflect the light. This is called the Tyndall effect.

Table 2.2.4 Names and (Examples) of Colloids

Dispersed Phase
Medium Solid (grains) Liquid (droplets) Gas (bubbles)
solid sol gel solid foam
Solid
(some stained glass) (jelly, butter) (styrofoam)
sol emulsion foam
Liquid
(blood) (milk, mayonnaise) (whipped cream)
solid aerosol liquid aerosol
Gas –
(smoke) (fog)

Heterogeneous Mixtures
If one or more of the components of a mixture is visible then it is a heterogeneous
mixture. The term, “mechanical mixture” is often misused as an intended synonym for
“heterogeneous mixture.” A mechanical mixture is a mixture of components that can
be separated by mechanical means, i.e. by picking, sifting, shaking, spinning, pouring,
skimming, etc. This definition includes at least some mixtures of every class. For
example, the components of colloids can be separated by mechanical means such as
centrifugation (spinning) and ultra-filtration. Even isotopes of the same element (atoms
of the same element with different masses) can be separated by centrifugation. If the
heterogeneous mixture has a dispersed phase and a continuous medium then, it is a
coarse suspension or just a suspension.

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 Colloids are distinguished from suspensions by their longevity or stability. Colloids
remain suspended indefinitely but the larger mass of the suspended particles in
suspensions causes them to settle out or sediment upon standing. The dispersed phase
in a suspension is usually a solid. Common examples of suspensions include silt in water,
dust in air, and paint (pigments in a solvent). The component particles are all visible solid
particles in some heterogeneous mixtures such as gravel.
Table 2.2.5 provides operational and conceptual definitions of solutions, colloids,
and suspensions.

Table 2.2.5 Distinguishing Solutions, Colloids, and Suspensions

Operational Definition*
Type of
Conceptual Definition**
Mixture Sediments if left Separates by
Tyndall Effect
undisturbed Centrifugation
Solution no no no All particles are < 1 nm.
Dispersed particles are between 1 nm and
Colloid yes no yes 1 um. Particles comprising the medium
are < 1 nm.
Suspension yes yes yes Dispersed particles are > 1 µm.

* The operational definitions only provide methods of differentiating mixtures that have a liquid continuous
medium.
** The sizes cited for the particles are only rough guidelines, not steadfast rules.

Quick Check
1. What is a homogeneous mixture?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the two components of a solution called?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What are the two components of a colloid called?
_________________________________________________________________________________________

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 2.2 Activity: Classifying Chemical Glassware
Question
Can things be classified according to a variety of schemes?

Background
In section 1.1 you were asked to classify items of safety equipment. People have a compulsion to mentally organize
the world around them. Knowledge is essentially recognizing relationships. Organizing our world helps us to cope
with it and allows us to think about it. The way we conceptualize or organize the world reflects both the world
itself and the ways we perceive it. You are classifying something every time you call something by a name that isn’t
specific to that individual thing.
Procedure
1. Your teacher will display a variety of chemical glassware.
2. Divide the items into two groups based on any criterion you choose.
3. Subdivide the items in each of the two groups into two smaller groups again based on any criteria you choose.

Results and Discussion

1. Display your groupings on a piece of poster paper using a classification chart like that shown at the top of the
page. Include your criteria on the chart.
2. Compare your classification scheme with those of other groups.

3. Were some classification schemes more valid than others? Explain in the space below.

82 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

2.2 Review Questions
1. Name an element, a compound, and a mixture found in your home.

2. Is it easier to prove that an unknown substance is an element or a compound? Explain.

3. Elements, compounds and mixtures are each classified into types of elements, compounds, and mixtures. Use
“properties” or “composition” to correctly complete each of the following sentences:
(a) Elements are classified on the basis of their __________________________.
(b) Compounds are classified on the basis of their _______________________.
(c) Mixtures are classified on the basis of their __________________________.

4. Using only white circles ( ) and black circles ( ● ) to represent different types of atoms, draw an element, a
molecular compound, an ionic compound, a mixture of elements, and a mixture of compounds using at least 10
circles in each drawing.

5. Classify each of the following as an element (E), a compound (C), or a mixture (M).
(a) potassium fluoride (e) carbon
(b) eggnog (f) seawater
(c) can be decomposed (g) substance containing only one type of atom
(d) can vary in proportions (h) contains more than one substance

6. Classify each of the following elements as a metal, metalloid, or a non-metal.

(a) germanium (b) calcium (c) iodine (d) xenon

7. Give four examples of physical properties of metals.

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8. Complete the following table by classifying each of the compounds.

Organic or Binary or Acid, Base, Salt or

Compound Molecular or Ionic
Inorganic Non-Binary None of these
CaCl2
CH3CH2OH
NH4ClO3
KOH
C3H8
H3PO4
Ba(NO3)2
CO2
Al(OH)3

9. Suppose that chemists used nanotechnology to produce a material with two different types of metal atoms
organized into alternating rows. Would this material be a substance or would it be a mixture? Explain.

10. Why is no material truly homogeneous at the atomic level?

11. Is a mixture of O2 and O3 (two different allotropes of the element oxygen) a chemical mixture? Explain.

12. Identify each of the following species as a neutral atom, an ion, or a molecule.
(a) N2 (b) O (c) NO2− (d) H (e) NH3 (f) K+

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13. Complete the following table by checking ( P ) the type(s) of mixture each statement describes.

Heterogeneous
Solution Colloid
Mixture
All particles are less than 1 nm in size
Gravel
Does not appear the same throughout
Forms a sediment if left undisturbed
Has a solute and a solvent
Milk
Exhibits the Tyndall effect
Homogeneous mixture
Coarse suspension
Orange juice with pulp
May be separated by centrifugation

14. To diagnose an ulcer, a doctor may have the patient drink a suspension of barium sulphate which coats the
patient’s gastrointestinal tract allowing it to be imaged by X-rays. What is the difference between a suspension and
a colloid?

15. Is dust a colloid or is it a suspension? Explain.

16. Correct each of the following sentences by replacing the underlined word.
(a) Salt water is a denser substance than fresh water.

(b) The colloid particles were dissolved in water.

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2.3 Separating the Substances of a Mixture

Warm Up
A student scoops up a pail full of water and mud from the bottom of a pond. The mixture in the pail is a
suspension of mud particles and algal cells and a solution of salts. Outline a method for separating these three
components.

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________

Most naturally occurring objects and materials are mixtures. Our atmosphere, our
Separating Mixed natural water systems, and the ores and petroleum products (such as crude oil and
Substances natural gas) that we extract from the ground are mixtures. Just as a compound can be
decompounded (decomposed), a mixture can be unmixed. Since the ingredients of a
mixture are not chemically combined, they retain their individual identities. The trick to
separating the substances in a mixture is to pick a property that clearly differentiates the
substances.
Consider a mixture of marbles and beads. Because the marbles and beads do not
form any aggregates, they can easily be separated by pouring the mixture into a colander
(a bowl full of holes). It would capture the marbles but allow the beads to pass through.
Laboratory technicians perform a tremendous number of separations daily in medical,
forensic, and analytical chemistry laboratories to allow the substances in the mixtures
to be identified. Large industrial-scale separations are performed around the world in
commercial refineries (for sugar, oil, metal, etc.) to obtain the target substances for their
useful properties, their intrinsic values, or more commonly to use the substances to
produce useful mixtures of our own design.

In Chemistry 12, you’ll examine a chemical separation technique called selective

Mechanical Means of precipitation. In this course we restrict our studies to physical separations: those not
Separation involving chemical reaction. Physical separation techniques include centrifugation,
chromatography, recrystallization, decantation, density separation, distillation,
electrophoresis, evaporation, extraction, flotation, filtration, freezing, magnetic
separation, reverse osmosis, and sedimentation. Physical separations may be classified as
mechanical or non-mechanical. Non-mechanical means of separation include techniques
that use heat, electricity, magnetism, dissolving, or sticking to separate a mixture’s
components. Mechanical means of separation use gravity, contact forces, and motion
to sort the substances of a mixture. Terms such as picking, sifting, filtering, shaking,
spinning, pouring, and skimming, describe the type of actions involved in mechanical
separations. We’ll just describe some of the more common techniques in this section.

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 Density Separation
To sediment (verb) means to fall or sink to the bottom of a liquid. Sediment (noun)
is matter that has fallen or sunk to the bottom of a liquid. As Isaac Newton deduced,
an object doesn’t just fall of its own accord. A force is required to change an object’s
state of motion. A falling object is acting under the influence of gravity. The difference
between falling through a vacuum (which is essentially empty space) and falling through
a medium is the medium. A medium exerts an upward force called buoyancy on all
objects immersed in it. As an object enters a fluid, it lifts the fluid it displaces. A buoyant
force equal to the weight of this displaced fluid is redirected upward on the immersed
object. Every object surrounded by a fluid (air, water, etc.) has at least some of its weight
supported by buoyancy.
If the particle is less dense than the fluid then the particle will float because it will
displace a weight of fluid greater than its own weight and therefore the force of buoyancy
acting on it will be greater than the force of gravity acting on it. Density separation can
be used to separate solids with different densities. The solids must be insoluble in the
liquid media used to selectively float them. This technique is used to separate plastics of
different densities.

Fb Fb

Fg
Fg

net upward force net downward force

results in the particle results in the particle
rising sinking

Figure 2.3.1 Forces acting on particles suspended in a heterogeneous mixture

If the particle is denser than the fluid, it will sink. However, the sedimented particles
are not entirely separate from the liquid as they are still immersed in it. Decanting is
carefully pouring off the liquid and leaving the sediment in the bottom of the original
container. A small amount of liquid is usually left in the container and care must be taken
to prevent a small amount of sediment from flowing with the liquid out of the container.
The sediment can also be separated from the liquid by filtration. In the simplest form of
filtration, the liquid containing the sediment is poured into a folded piece of filter paper
in a funnel. The material filtered out of the mixture is called the residue. The liquid that
passes through the filter paper is called the filtrate. Dissolved substances and colloids are
too small to be filtered out by regular filter paper but some colloids can be removed by
ultra-filtration which uses filter paper with extremely small pores.

residue

filtrate

Figure 2.3.2 Decanting (left) and filtering

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 Centrifugation
Another mechanical means of separation is centrifugation or spinning. Centrifugation
enhances density separation. Particles that would normally sink or rise still do so, just
more rapidly.
When you are in a car that turns a sharp corner you may be “thrown” sideways.
It might seem as though a force pushed you against the door. To explain this and
similar phenomena, people have invented an imaginary or nonexistent force known
as a centrifugal force, which is said to cause the outward motion. In fact, no force was
necessary for you to keep travelling at a constant speed in a straight line. When the
car turned, you didn’t. Your body attempted to keep going in your original direction.
All objects have a resistance to change in motion. This property is called inertia. The
suspended particles in a mixture behave similarly in a centrifuge. As the tube changes
its direction, the suspended particles initially maintain their linear motion. This process
occurs continuously as the tube spins, directing the suspended particles to the bottom of
the tube (Figure 2.3.3).

Figure 2.3.3 The particle in the centrifuge tube continues to travel in a straight line while the tube turns.
The spinning forces it to the bottom of the tube, as shown on the right.

Quick Check
1. What force causes objects to float? ____________________________
2. What is decanting?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. How does centrifugation work? ______________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________

Chromatography
Non-Mechanical Chromatography is one of the most widely used techniques in scientific research today.
Means of Separation The processes involved in the separation are generally mild ones. Chromatography has
been successfully employed to separate some of the most fragile and elusive substances.
Researchers have been able to devise a chromatographic method for separating all but a
few mixtures.
Chromatography separates the substances in a solution by having a flowing liquid
or gas carry them at different rates through a stationary phase. The flowing liquid or gas
is called the mobile phase. Each substance travels through the stationary phase at its
own characteristic rate, according to its relative affinities for the two phases. A substance

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 that adheres strongly to the stationary phase but isn’t very soluble in the mobile phase
travels slowly through the chromatogram. Conversely, a substance that adheres weakly to
the stationary phase but is very soluble in the mobile phase travels quickly through the
chromatogram.
There are many forms of chromatography. These include gas chromatography,
column chromatography, thin layer chromatography, and paper chromatography. In thin
layer chromatography (TLC), the stationary phase is a thin layer of silica gel dried onto a
glass plate. In paper chromatography, the stationary phase is a strip or sheet of paper. The
mobile phase in both forms of chromatography could be water, an organic solvent such
as alcohol, or a mixture of solvents. A drop of the solution to be separated is placed near
the bottom of the sheet or plate and allowed to dry. Another drop of the solution is then
placed on top of the first and also allowed to dry.
This process is repeated many times until there is a sufficient amount of each solute
to produce a clear chromatogram. The bottom of the chromatogram is lowered into a
pool of the solvent. Capillary action is the tendency of a liquid to rise in narrow tubes
or to be drawn into small openings. Capillary action results from the adhesive forces
between the solvent molecules and those of the wicking material in combination with
the cohesive forces between the solvent molecules themselves. Capillary action causes
the solvent to rise up the stationary medium, between the paper fibres or the grains of
the gel, past the deposit of solutes, and up the remainder of the paper or glass plate.

paper solvent front

5.4 cm
test solution 2.7 cm

initial position
of solution
solvent
Start In Progress Finish

Figure 2.3.4 Thin layer or paper chromatography

A substance’s Rf (retention factor) for any particular system is defined as its flow
speed relative to that of the mobile phase. Here is an example calculation:

distance the substance flows

Rf = (in a given time period)
distance the solvent flows

2.7 cm
= = 0.50
5.4 cm
A substance’s Rf may help identify it or at least support its identification by more
definitive means.
“Developing a chromatogram” is the spraying of chemicals on a chromatogram
to form coloured complexes with the separated substances so they reveal their location.
Elution is the process of rinsing the separated substances off the chromatogram. Their
recovery is usually necessary so that they can be identified through further analysis.
Chemists commonly run at least two chromatograms under identical conditions. One is
developed to determine the location of the separated substances. The substances are
then eluted from the same locations on the undeveloped chromatogram.

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 In column chromatography, the stationary phase is a glass tube packed with
specially treated resin beads. The mobile phase is sometimes just the solution itself but
another solvent may be needed to wash the solutes through. Column chromatography
is an “open-ended” form of chromatography in which the separated substances flow
out the bottom end of the column at different times. Periodic chemical tests or constant
electronic monitoring indicates the presence of substances as they leave the column. For
column chromatography, the substances’ Rf values are calculated as:
substance time
Rf = (to travel through the column)
solvent time
Electrophoresis is similar to chromatography except that the stationary phase
is a gel-coated slide or gel-filled dish with oppositely charged electrodes at either
end. Species are separated according to their charge or polarity, mass, and size.
Other separation methods that involve solubility include solvent extraction and
recrystallization. In solvent extraction, one or more compounds are soluble in a particular
solvent while the others are not. In recrystallization, trace amounts of impurities stay in
solution as the solution is cooled

Distillation
Distillation is any process that separates a mixture of substances by using their
different vapour pressures or boiling points. Distillations require a heating device, a flask
containing the original mixture, a condenser to cool and condense the vapours, and
something to collect the condensed substances as they leave the condenser one after the
other (Figure 2.3.5). Distilled water is produced by boiling tap water, cooling its vapours,
and then collecting the condensate or distillate. The impurities that were dissolved in the
water remain as residue in the original flask.
Such simple distillations are suitable for separating dissolved solids from a solvent
but there is a fundamental problem using this technique to separate two liquids. Liquids
can evaporate long before boiling occurs as evidenced by the puddles on our street that
come and go without ever boiling. Because of this, the initial distillate is still a mixture
although it is now richer in the liquid with the lower boiling point. If you took this
distillate and repeated the distillation process, the next distillate would be richer still in
this liquid. If you repeated this process many times, each time the distillate would become
increasingly richer in the substance with the lower boiling point but this would be a
tedious process. A mixture that cannot be completely separated by simple distillation is
called an azeotropic mixture.

cold
water

impure
liquid in
(boiling)

out distilled
liquid

Figure 2.3.5 Laboratory distillation apparatus

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 Scientists have therefore devised a method called fractional distillation in which
the simple distillation (vaporizing and condensing) is repeated many times within the
one device. After evaporating, the vapour enters a fractionating column. This may be a
tube packed with glass fibres, a tube containing overlapping glass lips or plates, or simply
coiled tubing as popularized by backwoods stills. The idea
is to provide surfaces on which the vapours can condense.
As the hot vapours from below reheat the distillate, some
compounds revapourize and travel farther up the column.
At the same time, others with higher boiling points drip
back in the opposite direction. This process is called reflux.
The plates become progressively cooler as you move up
the column. Each time the process is repeated, the distillate
becomes richer in the liquid with the lower boiling point.
The component liquids thus proceed at different rates
up the fractionating column so as you move higher up,
the mixture becomes increasing richer in the liquid with
the lower boiling point. If the column is long enough, the
liquid components may separate completely and enter the
condenser one after the other. There are of course several
variations on this same technique.
Distillation is an important laboratory and industrial
process (Figure 2.3.6). Oil refineries employ distillation to
separate the hundreds of different hydrocarbons in crude
oil into smaller groups of hydrocarbons with similar boiling
points. Chevron has an oil refinery in Burnaby and Husky
has an oil refinery in Prince George. When distilling a single
batch, as described and illustrated above, the temperatures
within the column continuously change as the chemicals
travel through the column much like solutes travelling up
a piece of chromatography paper. By contrast, oil refineries
continuously feed the vaporized crude oil mixture into
Figure 2.3.6 Industrial distillation large steel fractionating towers that electronically monitor
and maintain a steady range of temperatures from 400°C at
the bottom to 40°C at the top. Each compound rises until it
reaches a section of the column that is cool enough for it to condense and be withdrawn
from the column. For example, the gasoline fraction (meaning the fraction containing
gasoline, itself a mixture) exits near the top of the tower at the 40°C to 110°C level.

Froth Flotation
BC is one of the world’s major mining regions, and mining is a key contributor to the
province’s economy. Precious metals such as gold and silver are very stable or unreactive
and are found in nature in their “native” or elemental form. This property is central to their
value in jewellery. Other metal atoms such as copper are mostly found in nature in ionic
compounds. Naturally occurring compounds are called minerals.

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 91

 Rock containing a desired mineral is called ore. The first stage of mining is to
extract the ore via blasting or drilling, depending on the kind of mine. The second stage
is to mill or crush the ore into a fine powder. The third stage is to separate the target
mineral(s) from the rest of the ore, called gangue. Copper compounds are separated by a
technique called froth flotation. The powdered rock is mixed with water and then a small
amount of pine oil is added that adheres to the mineral grains but not to the gangue. Oil
and water don’t mix so the grains are rendered hydrophobic or water repelling. Air is
bubbled through the mixture and the hydrophobic grains of mineral escape the water by
attaching to the air bubbles, which float them to the surface. The target mineral is then
skimmed off, washed, dried, and shipped to a refinery where it is decomposed to recover
the metal. Froth flotation is also used in wastewater treatment and paper recycling.

Quick Check
1. What is chromatography?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
2. What is distillation?
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Name three areas that use froth flotation.
__________________________________________ _____________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________

92 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

 2.3 Activity: Separating Stuff
Question
Can you separate a variety of objects using methods that don’t rely on their
appearance?
Background
Chemists separate the substances in a mixture by picking on properties that clearly
distinguish the substances from one another.
Procedure
1. Design and perform a procedure to separate a mixture of marbles, paper clips, pennies and small wooden discs.
2. Record your results in the table below.

Items Separated
Procedure
from Mixture

1.

2.

3.

Results and Discussion

1. What property of each item allowed you to separate it from the mixture?

2. Was the order of the procedures important in your separation scheme?

3. Discuss any complications that arose during your procedures.

4. Compare your methods with those of other groups.

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 93

2.3 Review Questions
1. What is the difference between decomposing 6. Rewrite the underlined part of the following
compounds and separating mixtures? statement to correct it.
Heavier particles centrifuge more rapidly because of
the greater centrifugal force exerted on them.

2. Give three reasons for separating the substances in a

mixture.
7. Devise a simple scheme for separating a mixture of
sand, sugar, and iron filings. Each material must be
recovered in its original solid form.

3. Oil floats on top of water because it is less dense.

However, oil pours more slowly than water because
it is more viscous. Is the ability of a fluid to suspend
particles more closely correlated to its density or its
viscosity?

8. Briefly describe the role of a furnace filter.

4. Why are the particles in mixtures usually referenced

by their size rather than by their mass?

9. Briefly describe how chromatography separates the

substances in a mixture.
5. Inertia plays an integral role in most mechanical
separations.
(i) What is inertia?

(ii) Describe the role inertia plays in centrifugation. 10. What does the phrase “developing a chromatogram”
refer to?

94 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

11. What is elution and what is its usual purpose? 15. Identify two factors that affect how completely
the components of a solution are separated by
fractional distillation.

12. Why should you mark the starting position of the

deposited solution on the chromatography paper
with pencil rather than pen? 16. Air is approximately 78% nitrogen (boiling point:
–196°C) and 21% oxygen (boiling point: –183°C).
Briefly describe how you would separate nitrogen
and oxygen from air.

13. What is the Rf of the compound shown in the

diagram ?

17. Which process requires more energy:

chromatography or distillation? Explain.
5.4 cm
4.9 cm

18. Both density separations and froth flotations involve

some materials floating and others sinking, yet
density separations are considered a mechanical
means of separation while froth flotations are not.
14. What is the basic problem with simple distillation? What is the main difference between these two
techniques?

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 95

2.4 A Review of Chemical Nomenclature

Warm Up
Ions are charged atoms or charged groups of atoms. Ions always associate (bond) together in the ratio that
results in their charges cancelling to form neutral compounds. Complete the table by providing the formulas of
the compounds formed by the ions specified.

– –
Br O2– N3– OH SO42– PO43–

Na+ NaBr Na3N

Ca2+ Ca3(PO4)2

Al3+ Al(OH)3

NH4+ (NH4)2O

Sn4+ Sn(SO4)2

Recall from section 2.2 that non-metals form molecular compounds with other non-
Binary Ionic metals but they form ionic compounds with metals. The names and formulas of these two
Compounds types of compounds are handled differently.
A binary compound contains the atoms of only two elements, and binary ionic
compounds contain only two types of monatomic ions (charged individual atoms).

The name of any ionic compound is simply the name of its constituent metal ion
followed by the name of its constituent non-metal ion.

For example, a compound containing sodium ions and chloride ions is called
sodium chloride.
The ratio of the ions formed when a particular metal and non-metal react can be
predicted through the charge of their common ions, which can be found in the table of
common ions at the back of this book. Positively charged ions are called cations (think
of the letter ‘t” as a + sign). Negatively charged ions are called anions. Note that the sign
of the ion charge (+ or –) is written after the numeral. For example, the aluminum ion is
denoted as Al3+ rather than as Al+3. Scientists felt that placing the plus or minus charge
before the numeral might mislead people into believing that it meant greater than or
less than zero. In fact, these plus and minus signs designate the type of electrical charge.
The different types of electrical charge are called opposite charges because they have
opposing effects. They can cancel each other. Note that there is a difference between
cancelling two things and two things cancelling. Cancelling two things (e.g., magazine
subscriptions) means eliminating them. By contrast, two things cancelling means they
negate each other’s effects. This is what happens with positive and negative ion charges.
When particles with equal but opposite charges bond together, the charges cancel to
yield a product with a net charge of zero.

96 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

 The concept of a net property means that the property of the whole is equal to the
sum of the still existing properties of its parts. Ions always associate together in a ratio
that results in their charges cancelling to form neutral compounds. For example:

separate combined

2Al3+(aq) + 3S2−(aq) → Al2S3 (s)

6+ + 6– = 0

All compounds are neutral. There is no such thing as a charged compound.

The formula Al2S3 means that there are 2Al3+ ions for every 3S2− ions. Chemists
know the charges but don’t show the charges in the formulas of ionic compounds. The
ionic nature of the compound is implicit in the combination of a metal and a non-metal.
The formula of an ionic compound shows that the compound as a whole is neutral even
though it contains both positively and negatively charged ions. Remember that a neutral
atom also contains positively and negatively charged particles (protons and electrons)
that are not evident in its symbol.
Look at the formula of aluminum sulphide shown below on the left. The number
of aluminum ions equals the numerical value of the sulphide ion’s charge and vice versa.
This simple shortcut for determining the formula of ionic compounds is sometimes called
the cross-over method. The cross-over method matches up the opposite charges so that
they cancel and will always work if you reduce the formula to its simplest ratio.

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Some elements have two or more possible valence shell electron configurations (ways of
Multivalent Ions arranging its electrons). These multivalent elements have more than one form of stable
ion. Many of the transition metals (groups 3 to 12 in the periodic table) are multivalent.
For example, iron has two stable ions, Fe2+ and Fe3+. Rather than Fe2+ being called the iron
two plus ion, it is simply called the iron two ion, but it is written as iron(II), bracketing the
roman numeral for the numerical value of the ion’s charge after the name. Likewise Fe3+ is
called the iron(III) ion. The roman numerals only appear in the compound’s name, never in
its formula.
A different method for naming the ions of multivalent elements was used in the not
too distant past, and you may encounter it occasionally. In that method, an –ous or –ic
suffix was added to the root of the element’s name from which the symbol was derived.
The –ous suffix denoted the lesser ion charge and the –ic suffix denoted the greater ion
charge. For example, the iron(II) ion, Fe2+, was called the ferrous ion, and the iron(III) ion,
Fe3+, was called the ferric ion.

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 97

 Sample Problem — Determining the Formula of a Binary Ionic Compound from Its Name
What is the formula of tin(IV) sulphide?

What to Think about How to Do It

1. Write the symbols of the ions named. Sn4+ S2−
2. Combine the ions in the simplest ratio that results 1 Sn4+ + 2 S2− → SnS2
in their charges cancelling. 4+ + 4– = 0

Sample Problem — Determining the Name of a Binary Ionic Compound from Its Formula
What is the name of Fe2S3?

What to Think about How to Do It

1. Write the names of the two constituent ions. iron(II) or iron(III), sulphide
2. Write the formulas of the possible compounds
to see which one has the correct formula. iron(II) sulphide Fe2+ + S2- → FeS ×
iron(III) sulphide 2 Fe3+ + 3 S2− → Fe2S3 P

Practice Problems — Determining the Names and Formulas of Binary Ionic Compounds
1. Write the formula of each of the following binary ionic compounds:
(a) lithium sulphide (c) aluminum chloride (e) tin(II) iodide
(b) chromium(III) oxide (d) lead(II) sulphide (f) zinc bromide

2. Name each of the following binary ionic compounds:

(a) ZnO _________________________________ (d) NaI _____________________________
(b) PbCl4 _______________________________ (e) K2S _____________________________
(c) CuCl2 _______________________________ (f) CrO _____________________________

Recall that a molecule is a neutral group of covalently bonded atoms. A polyatomic

Polyatomic Ions ion is a charged group of covalently bonded atoms so it’s like a molecule except that
it has a charge. Polyatomic ions play an extremely important role in the environment,
the laboratory, and industry. They are relatively stable species that often remain intact
in chemical reactions. Many polyatomic ions are oxyanions, consisting of an atom
of a given element and some number of oxygen atoms. Typically the element forms
polyatomic ions with different numbers of oxygen atoms. When the element forms two
such ions, the one with the lesser number of oxygen atoms takes an –ite suffix, while the
one with the greater number of oxygen atoms takes an –ate suffix. For example:
− −
nitrite NO2 nitrate NO3
sulphite SO32− sulphate SO42−

98 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9

 When there are more than two oxyanions in a series, the prefixes hypo- (less than)
and per- (more than) are used to indicate polyatomic ions with still less or still more
oxygen atoms. For example:
hypochlorite ClO−
−
chlorite ClO2
−
chlorate ClO3
perchlorate ClO4−

The prefix bi- before the name of a polyatomic ion adds an H+ to it. For example:
−
carbonate CO32− hydrogen carbonate or bicarbonate HCO3 (H+ + CO32−)
−
sulphate SO42− hydrogen sulphate or bisulphate HSO4 (H+ + SO42−)

Note that there are some exceptions to these naming conventions. The hydroxide
ion is the only polyatomic ion to have an –ide suffix. The dichromate ion has the formula
Cr2O72− and despite its prefix does not refer to two chromate ions.
Because they are charged, polyatomic ions associate with oppositely charged ions
to form ionic compounds. Polyatomic ions are bracketed in formulas. For example, the
formula of calcium nitrate is Ca(NO3)2. This means that the atoms within the brackets are
bonded covalently to each other and as a group they are bonded ionically to the atom
or atoms outside the brackets. The brackets are necessary to show that the formula ratio
applies to the entire polyatomic ion, not just to its last atom. For example, the formula of
calcium hydroxide is Ca(OH)2 meaning that there are two hydroxide (OH−) ions for each
calcium ion. If the brackets were omitted, the formula would look like this: CaOH2. In that
case, the subscript 2 would apply only to the hydrogen atom. By convention, chemists
omit the brackets if no subscript is required. For example, Na(OH) is written as just NaOH.
The ionic compounds that you’ll encounter in this course will each have only two
types of ions unless otherwise specified. Therefore, the first element in the formula will
represent the cation and the remainder will represent the anion. The one exception is in
ammonium compounds; the only polyatomic cation you’ll encounter is the ammonium
ion, NH4+. For example:
ZnCr2O7 must consist of Zn2+ ions and Cr2O72− ions (to cancel the 2+).
Cr2O72− is the dichromate ion so this compound is called zinc dichromate.
NaClO2 must consist of Na+ ions and ClO2− ions (to cancel the 1+).
−
ClO2 is the chlorite ion so this compound is called sodium chlorite.

Sample Problem — Determining the Formula of any Ionic Compound from Its Name
What is the formula of potassium sulphite?

What to Think about How to Do It

1. Write the symbols of the ions named. K+ SO32−
2. Combine the ions in the simplest ratio that results in 2 K+ + SO32− → K2SO3
their charges cancelling.
2+ + 2– = 0

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 99

 Sample Problem — Determining the Name of any Ionic Compound from Its Formula
What is the name of Cr(HSO4)2?

What to Think about How to Do It

1. Write the names of the two chromium(II) or chromium(III), bisulphate
constituent ions.
2. Write the formulas of the chromium(II) bisulphate Cr2+ + 2 HSO4− → Cr(HSO4)2 P
possible compounds to see
chromium(III) bisulphate Cr3+ + 3 HSO4− → Cr(HSO4)3 ×
which one has the correct
formula.

Practice Problems — Determining the Names and Formulas of Ionic Compounds

1. Write the formula of each of the following ionic compounds:
(a) barium sulphate (d) tin(IV) oxalate
(b) silver nitrate (e) aluminum dichromate
(c) mercury(II) bromide (f) potassium fluoride

2. Name each of the following ionic compounds:

(a) Zn(OH)2 ________________________ (d) NaCH3COO __________________________
(b) SnO ___________________________ (e) MgI2 __________________________
(c) Cu(ClO)2 _______________________ (f) FeCr2O7 __________________________

Any cation and anion combine in a single ratio that is easily predictable from their
Names and Formulas charges. This is why ionic compounds’ names do not need to explicitly contain their
of Binary Molecular formulas. On the other hand, two non-metal atoms may share electrons and combine in
Compounds several ratios. Therefore, the name of the molecular compound must reveal its formula
to distinguish it from the other compounds of the same two elements. The name of a
molecular compound uses a prefix code to provide its formula. The prefixes used are
shown in Table 2.4.1.
The names of all binary compounds have an –ide suffix. N2O4 is therefore dinitrogen
Table 2.4. Prefixes for tetroxide. Note that the number of atoms comes before the name of the element but after
Molecular Compounds
the symbol of the element. The prefix mono- is understood for the first element named if
Number Prefix no prefix is stated. For example, carbon dioxide is CO2.
1 mono-
2 di-
Sample Problem — Determining the Formula of a Molecular
3 tri-
Compound from Its Name
4 tetra-
What is the formula of xenon tetrafluoride?
5 penta-
6 hexa-
What to Think about How to Do It
7 hepta-
1. Write the symbols of each element and the 1 Xe and 4 F
8 octa-
number of atoms of each.
9 nona-
2. Rewrite this information as a formula. XeF4
10 deca-

100 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9
 Sample Problem — Determining the Name of a Molecular Compound from Its Formula
What is the name of P4S10?

What to Think about How to Do It

1. Write the names of each element and the 4 phosphorus and 10 sulphur
number of atoms of each.
2. Rewrite this information using the prefix code. tetraphosphorus decasulphide

Practice Problems — Determining the Names and Formulas of Molecular Compounds

1. Write the formula of each of the following molecular compounds:
(a) nitrogen monoxide (c) dinitrogen tetroxide
(b) nitrogen dioxide (d) dinitrogen trioxide

2. Name each of the following molecular compounds:

(a) PCl5 _____________________________ (c) CO _____________________________
(b) SO2 _____________________________ (d) P2O5 ___________________________

When many salts crystallize out of aqueous solution they incorporate water molecules
Hydrates in a fixed ratio and pattern into their ionic crystal lattice. These salts are called hydrates.
Many salts are supplied as hydrates. The water in the crystal doesn’t usually present a
problem as most salts are destined for aqueous solutions anyway. Water is an integral
part of hydrates and thus must be accounted for in both their names and their formulas.
The same prefixes used for naming molecules precede the term -hydrate to denote the
number of water molecules in the formula. This tells you the ratio of water molecules to
ions.
Gently warming a hydrated salt will usually remove the water from the crystal. The
term “anhydrous” refers to the form of the salt without (“an”) water (“hydrous”). Some
anhydrous salts are hygroscopic which means that they can absorb water from the air to
form hydrates. Hygroscopic salts that are being used to keep the air dry in a container are
called desiccants. Pouches containing silicate salts are sometimes used as desiccants in
boxes or cases containing binoculars, guitars, shoes, etc. Most labs have a special airtight
glass container designed to store containers of hygroscopic salts. This container is called a
desiccator. One of the salts is poured onto the bottom of the desiccator to keep its air dry
so the others are not exposed to water vapour.

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 101
 Sample Problem — Determining the Formula of a Hydrate from Its Name
What is the formula of copper(II) sulphate heptahydrate?

What to Think about How to Do It

1. Write the symbols of the ions named. Cu2+ SO42−
2. Combine the ions in the simplest ratio that results in
Cu2+ + SO42− → CuSO4
their charges cancelling.
3. Tack on the appropriate number of water molecules heptahydrate means 7H2O
to complete the formula. CuSO4, 7H2O

Sample Problem — Determining the Name of a Hydrate from its Formula

What is the name of NaCH3COO, 3H2O?

What to Think about How to Do It

1. Write the names of the two constituent ions. sodium, acetate
2. Tack on the appropriate number of water molecules sodium acetate trihydrate
using the prefix code (–hydrate).

Practice Problems — Determining the Names and Formulas of Hydrates

1. Write the formula of each of the following hydrates:
(a) barium chloride dihydrate
(b) sodium carbonate monohydrate
(c) iron(III) nitrate nonahydrate
(d) barium hydroxide octahydrate

2. Name each of the following hydrates:

(a) CoCl2, 6H2O _____________________________________________________________________________
b) FeCl3, 4H2O ______________________________________________________________________________
(c) Na2Cr2O7, 2H2O __________________________________________________________________________
(d) MgSO4, 7H2O ____________________________________________________________________________

Acids have a number of interesting and unique properties. An acid can be thought of as
Acids one or more H+ ions bonded to an anion. Remember that in ionic compounds the charges
cancel (negate each other) without being cancelled (eliminated). In acids however, these
ion charges are actually cancelled as the ions convert into neutral atoms and the group
of atoms into a molecule. Acids are a special type of molecular compound that can be
induced to form ions. The names of acids are based on the name of the anion formed.
The rules for naming acids depend on whether the anion contains oxygen. If the
anion doesn’t contain oxygen, the prefix hydro- precedes the name of the anion and the
suffix –ic replaces the –ide in the anion’s name. Hydrogen fluoride (HF) is hydrofluoric

102 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9
 acid; hydrogen chloride (HCl) is hydrochloric acid; hydrogen cyanide (HCN) is hydrocyanic
acid, etc. There are of course some exceptions. S2− is the sulphide ion, not the sulphuride
ion yet hydrogen sulphide (H2S) is hydrosulphuric acid.
If the anion does contain oxygen then the suffix –ic replaces –ate in the anion’s
name or the suffix –ous replaces –ite in the anion’s name. Hydrogen sulphate (H2SO4) is
sulphuric acid and hydrogen sulphite (H2SO3) is sulphurous acid.
It bears mentioning that the term “acid” is sometimes ambiguous in that it may refer
either to the compound or to its solution. For example, H2SO4(l) and H2SO4(aq) are both
called sulphuric acid. Although the latter might be referred to as a solution of sulphuric
acid, it is commonly referred to simply as sulphuric acid. Hydrogen chloride is a gas that
condenses into a liquid at –85°C. Because neither the gas nor the liquid is commonly
encountered, the term “hydrochloric acid” virtually always refers to an aqueous solution of
hydrogen chloride.

Sample Problem — Determining the Formula of an Acid from Its Name

What is the formula of hydrobromic acid?

What to Think about How to Do It

1. Decode the suffix to determine possible anions: bromic Br− or BrO3−
denotes bromide or bromate.
2. Decode the prefix (if any) to select the anion: hydro- Br−
indicates that the anion doesn’t contain oxygen.
3. Determine the formula from the ion charges. H+ + Br− → HBr

Sample Problem — Determining the Name of an Acid from Its Formula

What is the name of HNO2?

What to Think about How to Do It

1. Write the names of the two constituent ions. hydrogen nitrite
2. Use the code for naming acids. The anion contains oxygen
so the suffix –ous replaces –ite in the anion’s name. nitrous acid

Practice Problems — Determining the Names and Formulas of Acids

1. Write the formula of each of the following acids:
(a) hydrofluoric acid (c) phosphoric acid
(b) hypochlorous acid (d) hydrosulphuric acid

2. Name each of the following (as) acids:

(a) HCH3COO _________________________ (c) H2CO3 __________________________
(b) H2SO3_________________________________________ (d) HI ______________________________

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 103
 2.4 Activity: The Ionic Compound Card Game
Question
Are students more likely to study or practise if it’s fun?
Background
The basic premise of fun theory is that the easiest way to change people’s behaviour
is to make the desired behaviour more fun than the other options. Learning is sometimes defined as changing
behaviour. From that perspective, we are testing the theory that people are more likely to learn if it’s fun than simply
virtuous or to our advantage. Learn more about fun theory by searching for “The Fun Theory” online.
Procedure
1. Your teacher will have made some special cards for this fun activity. Thank your teacher. (Teachers: go to
bcscienceinteractions.com for stickers and instructions.)
2. Deal seven cards to each player.
3. The player to the left of the dealer flips one card face up from the deck. The player then attempts to make a
compound by combining one or more cards from his or her hand with the card that is face up on the table. Each
compound may only consist of two types of ions.
If the player makes a compound then the player must correctly state the formula or name of the compound.
Those cards are then removed from the game. If the player cannot make a compound or correctly state the
formula or name of the compound, the player leaves the card face up on the table.
4. Play rotates clockwise around the table. A player always begins a turn by flipping over a card from the deck so
there is always at least one card to combine with. A player may make only one formula per turn. Cards flipped
over from the deck remain there until combined with a card or cards from a player’s hand. Every time a player is
unable to form a compound, the number of cards face up on the table increases by one.
5. The game continues until someone wins by having no cards remaining in his or her hand. The first player to win
two hands wins the game.
Results and Discussion
1. Did you enjoy this card game? Why or why not?

2. Did it help you learn how to write chemical formulas or remember the names of ions? Why or why not?

3. Feel free to devise an ionic formula card game of your own: ionic formula rummy, ionic formula “Go Fish,” etc.

104 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9
2.4 Review Questions
1. In each case below, write out the chemical equation 5. In each case below, write out the chemical equation
for the association of the ions that form the given for the association of the ions that form the given
binary ionic compound. ionic compound,
Example: magnesium phosphide Example: magnesium nitrate
3 Mg2+ + 2 P3− → Mg3P2 Mg2+ + 2 NO3 → Mg(NO3)2
−

(a) sodium fluoride (a) sodium nitrite

(b) iron(II) bromide (b) silver phosphate

(c) tin(IV) chloride (c) lithium ethanoate (lithium acetate)

(d) chromium(III) sulphide (d) chromium(III) oxalate

6. Write the formulas of the following ionic compounds:

2. Write the formulas of the following binary ionic
(a) copper(I) perchlorate
compounds:
(a) chromium(III) chloride
(b) calcium bisulphide
(b) aluminum fluoride
(c) aluminum monohydrogen phosphate
(c) magnesium iodide
(d) magnesium hydroxide
(d) tin(IV) oxide
7. Write the names of the following ionic compounds:
(a) Ba3(PO4)2
3. Write the names of the following binary ionic (b) Fe(HSO3)2
compounds:
(c) Pb(HC2O4)4
(a) K2O
(d) CuH2PO4
(b) ZnBr2 8. Many minerals contain three types of ions. In BC, we
mine several minerals of copper including two forms
(c) PbO2 of copper(II) carbonate hydroxide.
malachite
(d) HgCl 2 Cu2+ + CO32− + 2 OH− → Cu2(CO3)(OH)2
4+ + 2– + 2– = 0
azurite
4. Write the name and formula of the binary ionic 3 Cu2+ + 2 CO32− + 2 OH− → Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2
compound formed by: 6+ + 4– + 2– = 0
(a) potassium and chlorine Notice that more than one ratio of the ions results
in their charges cancelling. Thus there is more than
(b) manganese(IV) and oxygen one possible compound of three ion combinations.
Write a possible formula for:
(c) iron(III) and sulphur (a) iron(III) sodium chromate

(d) copper(II) and iodine (b) zinc sulphate nitrate

© Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter 105
9. Write the formulas of the following molecular 15. Write the formulas of the following acids:
compounds: (a) hydrobromic acid
(a) chlorine monoxide
(b) chromic acid
(b) tetraphosphorus hexaoxide
(c) chloric acid
(c) arsenic pentafluoride
(d) hypochlorous acid
(d) nitrogen tri-iodide
16. Write the names of the following acids:
10. Write the names of the following molecular (a) H2S
compounds:
(a) P3Br5 (b) HClO4

(b) B2H6 (c) HNO2

(c) SO3 (d) HSCN

(d) CF4 17. Write the formulas of the following variety of

compounds:
11. Write the formulas of the following hydrated salts: (a) potassium oxide
(a) sodium sulphate decahydrate
(b) permanganic acid
(b) calcium chloride dihydrate
(c) sulphur dioxide
(c) copper(II) acetate monohydrate
(d) ammonium carbonate
(d) chromium(III) chloride hexahydrate
(e) iron(II) sulphate heptahydrate
12. Write the names of the following hydrated salts:
(a) Cd(NO3)2, 4H2O (f) hydrocyanic acid

(b) Na2HPO4, 7H2O (g) sulphur hexafluoride

(c) CuSO4, 5H2O (h) calcium acetate monohydrate

(d) Fe(NO3)3, 9H2O (i) chromium(III) bisulphite

13. Why is a hydrate not a mixture of salt and water? (j) magnesium hydroxide

14. Suggest why hydrate formulas are written in the

manner they are, rather than bracketing the number
of water molecules in the formula (e.g., SrCl2, 6H2O
rather than SrCl2(H2O)6).

106 Chapter 2 The Nature of Matter © Edvantage Interactive 2011 ISBN 978-0-9864778-2-9