Chapter 1

Chemistry – study of the composition of substances and the changes they undergo

Organic chemistry – study of carbon (C) containing substances.

Inorganic chemistry – study of non-carbon containing substances.

Analytical chemistry – concerns the composition of substances.

Physical chemistry – concerns theories and experiments that describe the behavior of chemicals.

Biochemistry – study of the chemistry of living organisms.

Define the Problem• Gather Information

Determine facts, if possibleMake detailed observations

Propose Solutions• Organize Information and look for Patterns• Hypotheses

Evaluate your Proposed Solutions• Test your Patterns by using them to Predict

What Will Happen (a.k.a. – perform experiments)

A process of studying natural phenomena that involves making observations, forming laws and theories, and testing theories by experimentation

Make ObservationsQualitative DescriptionsQuantitative Measurements

Formulate HypothesesPossible Explanations for Observed

Characteristics or BehaviorsPerform Experiments

Test Hypothesis

Repeat the process until we get a well-tested explanation

Theory a set of assumptions put forth to explain some aspect of the observed behavior of matterMay need to be modified or discarded as new

information (observations) becomes known

While experimenting we may observe the same behavior all the time, and therefore be able to predict this behavior will always occur in the future

Natural law a generally observed behaviorWithout explanation as to why the behavior

occurs!

Natural laws predict what will happen

Theories explain why something happens