Kinetic Molecular Theory
According to the Kinetic Molecular Theory, what are matter's smallest components called and what is their general motion?
Particles (atoms/molecules); they are in constant random motion.
What is the definition of thermal energy (heat energy) for a system?
Thermal energy is the total internal energy of a system due to particle motion (heat energy).
List the three ordinary states of matter shown in your notes.
Solid, liquid, gas.
On a heating-curve graph, what is shown on the vertical and horizontal axes?
Vertical: Temperature; Horizontal: Thermal Energy.
What do we call the change from solid to liquid?
Melting.
Define kinetic energy in the context of particles.
Kinetic energy is energy due to motion; for particles it is their motion energy.
Name three factors that affect the total thermal energy of a substance.
Type of particles (material), total number of particles (mass), and particle speed/temperature.
For gases, describe particle arrangement and typical energy level.
Particles sparse, move freely, high energy.
What happens to temperature during a phase change plateau even though thermal energy is being added?
Temperature stays constant because added energy breaks/form bonds rather than changing kinetic energy.
What is sublimation? Give a classroom example from the document.
Sublimation: solid → gas (dry ice is example).
Explain how particle spacing and motion differ between solids and liquids.
Solids: tightly packed, low motion; Liquids: close but can move/flow.
How does the amount (mass) of a substance influence its thermal energy when temperature is constant?
More mass → more particles → greater total thermal energy at same temperature.
What is plasma and where is it commonly found?
Plasma is ionized, very high-energy gas found in the sun and stars.
Label the segments: A–B (solid warming), B–C (melting plateau), C–D (liquid warming) — what major process is occurring at B–C?
Melting (solid → liquid) occurs at B–C.
Name the phase change opposite to vaporization.
Condensation.
Describe what happens to particle motion as temperature increases.
Particle motion increases (they move faster) as temperature increases.
Compare thermal energy and temperature: which measures total energy and which measures average kinetic energy?
Thermal energy = total internal energy; Temperature = average kinetic energy per particle.
Briefly describe Bose–Einstein Condensate and how its particle energy compares to a gas.
Bose–Einstein Condensate: extremely low-energy state; particles act collectively and have very low kinetic energy.
Explain why particle speed changes before and after a plateau but not during it.
Before plateau, added energy increases particle speed; during plateau energy changes potential/bonding; after plateau, added energy again increases speed.
Identify the phase changes that involve direct transition between solid and gas (both directions) and name one real-world example for each.
Sublimation (solid → gas; e.g., dry ice). Deposition (gas → solid; e.g., frost on windshield).
Give an example of how attractive forces between particles affect a substance's macroscopic properties (name the property and explain).
Example: High intermolecular attraction → higher rigidity/shape retention (solid) because particles held in regular pattern.
Explain why two substances at the same temperature can have different total thermal energies.
Different mass or different particle types (specific heat) cause different total thermal energies.
Explain how changing thermal energy can cause a substance to change from solid to liquid to gas in terms of particle motion and bonding.
Adding thermal energy increases particle speed and can overcome bonds (solid→liquid→gas); removing energy lowers speed and allows bonds to form.
A sample is heated from solid to gas. Describe how thermal energy, particle kinetic energy, and bonding energy change across the full graph (solid warming → melting → liquid warming → vaporization → gas warming).
Solid warming: thermal energy increases, kinetic energy rises slightly; Melting: thermal energy increases but goes into breaking bonds (kinetic energy constant); Liquid warming: kinetic energy rises; Vaporization: energy breaks intermolecular attractions (kinetic constant); Gas warming: kinetic energy rises further.
Explain ionization and deionization in relation to plasma.
Ionization: gas → plasma (adding energy strips electrons). Deionization: plasma → gas (removing energy recombines electrons).