Uploaded August 2025 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Chemical Properties and Changes of Matter
Chemical Properties
Chemical properties describe a substance’s ability to undergo chemical changes, forming new substances with different compositions.
Involve breaking or forming chemical bonds, altering the substance’s molecular or atomic structure.
They are observed only during chemical reactions.
Chemical Properties Examples
Reactivity: How a substance reacts with others
Iron rusts when exposed to oxygen and water, forming iron oxide
Flammability: Ability to burn in the presence of oxygen
Gasoline is highly flammable
Oxidation State: Tendency to gain or lose electrons
Sodium (Na) readily loses an electron to form Na⁺
Chemical Properties Examples
Chemical Stability: Resistance to decomposition under heat, light, or other conditions
Gold is chemically stable and resists corrosion
Toxicity: Ability to cause harm through chemical interactions
Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin, preventing oxygen transport
Electronegativity: Tendency to attract electrons in a bond
Chlorine has high electronegativity in NaCl
Chemical Changes
Chemical change- a process where a substance undergoes a transformation that changes its chemical composition, resulting in the formation of one or more new substances.
This involves breaking or forming chemical bonds often referred to as a chemical reaction.
Chemical Change- Specific Examples
Tarnish- Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion or discoloration that forms on the surface of certain metals (ex. silver, copper, brass) due to chemical reactions with substances like oxygen, sulfur, or moisture in the environment.
Rusting- chemical corrosion process where iron or steel reacts with oxygen and moisture to form iron oxides, commonly known as rust.
Forming a Precipitate (ppt)- A solid that forms and separates from a liquid solution during a chemical reaction.
Examples of Chemical Changes
Baking a potato
Spoiling milk
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Decomposition
Decaying
Rotting
Link to Lecture Slides: drive.google.com/file/d/1WtZUd99ZPDr1NYfleSNyxv0znrJEQn24/view?usp=drive_link
*Due to the description character limit the full work cited for "Chemical Properties and Changes of Matter" can be viewed at... docs.google.com/document/d/1fv5RCin2rRRLjttGrsTclQRXfRkrJ4Fc/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=104237452697237972847&rtpof=true&sd=true
Chemical Properties and Changes of Matter
Chemical Properties
Chemical properties describe a substance’s ability to undergo chemical changes, forming new substances with different compositions.
Involve breaking or forming chemical bonds, altering the substance’s molecular or atomic structure.
They are observed only during chemical reactions.
Chemical Properties Examples
Reactivity: How a substance reacts with others
Iron rusts when exposed to oxygen and water, forming iron oxide
Flammability: Ability to burn in the presence of oxygen
Gasoline is highly flammable
Oxidation State: Tendency to gain or lose electrons
Sodium (Na) readily loses an electron to form Na⁺
Chemical Properties Examples
Chemical Stability: Resistance to decomposition under heat, light, or other conditions
Gold is chemically stable and resists corrosion
Toxicity: Ability to cause harm through chemical interactions
Carbon monoxide binds to hemoglobin, preventing oxygen transport
Electronegativity: Tendency to attract electrons in a bond
Chlorine has high electronegativity in NaCl
Chemical Changes
Chemical change- a process where a substance undergoes a transformation that changes its chemical composition, resulting in the formation of one or more new substances.
This involves breaking or forming chemical bonds often referred to as a chemical reaction.
Chemical Change- Specific Examples
Tarnish- Tarnish is a thin layer of corrosion or discoloration that forms on the surface of certain metals (ex. silver, copper, brass) due to chemical reactions with substances like oxygen, sulfur, or moisture in the environment.
Rusting- chemical corrosion process where iron or steel reacts with oxygen and moisture to form iron oxides, commonly known as rust.
Forming a Precipitate (ppt)- A solid that forms and separates from a liquid solution during a chemical reaction.
Examples of Chemical Changes
Baking a potato
Spoiling milk
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Decomposition
Decaying
Rotting
Link to Lecture Slides: drive.google.com/file/d/1WtZUd99ZPDr1NYfleSNyxv0znrJEQn24/view?usp=drive_link
*Due to the description character limit the full work cited for "Chemical Properties and Changes of Matter" can be viewed at... docs.google.com/document/d/1fv5RCin2rRRLjttGrsTclQRXfRkrJ4Fc/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=104237452697237972847&rtpof=true&sd=true









![Orbital Configuration Anomalies
Orbital Configuration Anomalies
Orbital Anomalies in Electron Configurations
In atomic chemistry, orbital anomalies refer to cases where elements deviate from the expected electron configuration based on the Aufbau principle.
These anomalies usually occur in transition metals and are driven by stability preferences for half-filled or fully-filled subshells.
Why Do These Anomalies Occur?
Exchange energy: Parallel spins in half-filled orbitals reduce repulsion.
Symmetry and stability: Half-filled and fully-filled subshells are energetically favorable.
Electron-electron interactions: Can shift orbital energies slightly, making unexpected configurations more stable.
Chromium (Cr)
Expected: [Ar] 4s² 3d⁴
Actual: [Ar] 4s¹ 3d⁵
Reason: A half-filled 3d⁵ subshell is more stable than 3d⁴.
Copper (Cu)
Expected: [Ar] 4s² 3d⁹
Actual: [Ar] 4s¹ 3d¹⁰
Reason: A fully-filled 3d¹⁰ subshell is more stable than 3d⁹.
Molybdenum (Mo)
Expected: [Kr] 5s² 4d⁴
Actual: [Kr] 5s¹ 4d⁵
Silver (Ag)
Expected: [Kr] 5s² 4d⁹
Actual: [Kr] 5s¹ 4d¹⁰
Link to Lecture Slides: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1zokEkS3zmbHSFitt6Sss_Vpj7RRbMI1w/view?usp=drive_link
*Due to the description character limit the full work cited for Orbital Configuration Anomalies can be viewed at... https://docs.google.com/document/d/1QrDA6qej4XieVNh1TQOucFRhk9woWG8h/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=104237452697237972847&rtpof=true&sd=true Orbital Configuration Anomalies](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/nYbLZeihmuQ/mqdefault.jpg)
