Romania Clasa a VIII-a Chemistry
Chapters: 3
1. Chemical changes of substances
Chemical reactions and equations · Combination reactions · Decomposition reactions · Substitution reactions · Exchange reactions
- Chemical Reactions and Balancing Equations – In a chemical reaction atoms are not made or destroyed; they only change partners. So a chemical equation must have the same number of each kind of atom on both sides. We balance it by changing the numbers in front of formulas, never the formulas themselves.
- Types of Chemical Reactions – Most reactions fit a few patterns. Combination: A + B → AB. Decomposition: AB → A + B. Displacement: A + BC → AC + B, where the more reactive A pushes out B. Double displacement: AB + CD → AD + CB, where partners swap; if an insoluble solid forms it is a precipitation reaction. Reactions that give out heat are exothermic; those that take in heat are endothermic.
- Corrosion, Its Prevention and Alloys – Corrosion is the slow eating away of a metal by air, moisture or chemicals around it. Iron rusts only when both air (oxygen) and water are present, forming hydrated iron oxide. It can be prevented by painting, oiling, galvanising, chrome plating, anodising or making alloys. An alloy is a uniform mixture of a metal with other metals or a non-metal; alloys are usually harder, stronger and more corrosion-resistant than the pure metal.
- Occurrence and Extraction of Metals – Metals are found in the earth's crust, mostly as compounds called minerals; a mineral from which a metal can be taken out profitably is an ore. Extraction has three stages: enrichment (removing gangue), getting the crude metal (roasting or calcination, then reduction or electrolysis, chosen by the metal's place in the reactivity series), and refining (usually electrolytic).
- Ionic Compounds: How Metals and Non-metals React – A metal atom gives its outer electrons to a non-metal atom so that both get a full outer shell (octet). The metal becomes a positive ion (cation), the non-metal a negative ion (anion), and the strong pull between them is an ionic (electrovalent) bond. Ionic compounds are hard crystalline solids with high melting points, dissolve in water, and conduct electricity only when molten or dissolved.
- Metals and Non-metals: Properties and the Reactivity Series – Metals are usually shiny, hard, malleable, ductile and good conductors; non-metals are usually dull, brittle and poor conductors. Metals form basic oxides, react with water and dilute acids (giving hydrogen) and a more reactive metal pushes a less reactive one out of its salt solution. Listing metals from most to least reactive gives the reactivity series.
- Acids and Bases: Properties, Indicators and Reactions – An acid gives H⁺ ions in water and a base gives OH⁻ ions. Indicators show which one is present by a colour or smell change, and when H⁺ meets OH⁻ they make water, leaving a salt behind.
2. Stoichiometric calculations
Stoichiometry
- Stoichiometry, Limiting Reagent and Concentration Terms – Stoichiometry means measuring the amounts of substances in a reaction. A balanced equation acts like a recipe: its numbers give the mole ratio of reactants and products. With it you can change any mass into moles, use the ratio, and change back to the mass of any other substance. The reactant that runs out first is the limiting reagent; it decides how much product forms. For solutions, concentration is given as mass percent, mole fraction, molarity or molality.
3. Chemistry in our lives
Fuels and combustion · Building materials · Everyday applications
- Combustion – Combustion (burning) is a chemical change in which a fuel reacts fast with oxygen and gives out heat and light. It needs three things: fuel, oxygen and heat (to reach the ignition temperature). Remove any one and the fire goes out. With plenty of air, fuels that contain carbon and hydrogen burn completely to carbon dioxide and water (blue flame). With too little air, burning is incomplete and gives soot and poisonous carbon monoxide (yellow, smoky flame). Carbon dioxide turns limewater milky. The energy released by burning 1 g of a fuel is its calorific value.
- Enthalpy, Calorimetry and Hess's Law – Enthalpy H = U + pV. At constant pressure the heat taken in or given out equals ΔH; at constant volume it equals ΔU. We measure ΔU in a sealed bomb calorimeter and ΔH in an open cup calorimeter, using q = C ΔT or q = m c ΔT. For gases, ΔH = ΔU + Δn_g RT. The reaction enthalpy ΔrH is negative for exothermic and positive for endothermic reactions, and ΔrH° = ΣΔfH°(products) − ΣΔfH°(reactants). Hess's law: the total enthalpy change is the same whether a reaction happens in one step or many, so thermochemical equations can be added like algebra.
- Chemistry in Everyday Life: Medicines, Food, Cleaning and Soil – Chemistry is at work in your home every day. Antacids are weak bases that calm extra stomach acid. Medicines are grouped by what they do: painkillers, antibiotics, antiseptics, antihistamines, tranquilisers. Food chemicals keep food safe and tasty: preservatives, antioxidants and sweeteners. Soap cleans because one end of its molecule loves water and the other loves oil. Farmers add lime to acid soil and fertilisers to feed crops. Some metal ions are needed by the body, others are toxic, which is one reason we recycle.