CLEP Chemistry provides a comprehensive overview of fundamental chemistry concepts and principles, preparing students for college-level chemistry courses.
Chemical reactions are processes where substances transform into new substances. These changes involve breaking and forming chemical bonds.
Chemical equations represent reactions using symbols and formulas. For example, burning hydrogen in oxygen is:
\[ 2H_2 + O_2 \rightarrow 2H_2O \]
The Law of Conservation of Mass says that matter isn't created or destroyed in a reaction. So, equations must be balanced—there must be the same number of each type of atom on both sides.
Stoichiometry is about calculating how much of each substance is involved in a reaction. It helps chemists predict how much product they'll get from a certain amount of reactant.
Understanding chemical reactions helps us create medicines, clean water, and even cook food!
Combining vinegar and baking soda produces carbon dioxide gas in a bubbly reaction.
Stoichiometry lets a pharmacist mix the exact right amounts of ingredients to make a medicine.
Chemical reactions rearrange atoms to create new substances, and stoichiometry helps us measure these changes.