AMU CHEM 134 STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS WITH
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Explain how you could experimentally determine whether the outside
temperature is higher or lower than 0 °C (32 °F) without using a
thermometer? Ans✓✓✓ Place a glass of water outside. It will freeze if
the temperature is below 0 °C.
Identify each of the following statements as being most similar to a
hypothesis, a law, or a theory. Explain your reasoning.
(a) The pressure of a sample of gas is directly proportional to the
temperature of the gas.
(b) Matter consists of tiny particles that can combine in specific ratios to
form substances with specific properties.
(c) At a higher temperature, solids (such as salt or sugar) will dissolve
better in water. Ans✓✓✓ (a) law (states a consistently observed
phenomenon, can be used for prediction)
(b) theory (a widely accepted explanation of the behavior of matter)
(c) hypothesis (a tentative explanation, can be investigated by
experimentation)
Identify each of the underlined items as a part of either the macroscopic
domain, the microscopic domain, or the symbolic domain of chemistry.
For those in the symbolic domain, indicate whether they are symbols for
a macroscopic or a microscopic feature.
a.) The mass of a lead pipe is 14 lb.
b.)The mass of a certain chlorine atom is 35 amu.
,c.)A bottle with a label that reads Al contains aluminum metal.
d.) Al is the symbol for an aluminum atom. Ans✓✓✓ a.) macroscopic
b.) microscopic
c.) Symbolic; microscopic
d.) Symbolic; microscopic
Identify each of the underlined items as a part of either the macroscopic
domain, the microscopic domain, or the symbolic domain of chemistry.
For those in the symbolic domain, indicate whether they are symbols for
a macroscopic or a microscopic feature.
(a) A certain molecule contains one H atom and one Cl atom.
(b) Copper wire has a density of about 8 g/cm3.
(c) The bottle contains 15 grams of Ni powder.
(d) A sulfur molecule is composed of eight sulfur atoms. Ans✓✓✓ (a)
symbolic, microscopic
(b) macroscopic
(c) symbolic, macroscopic
(d) microscopic
According to one theory, the pressure of a gas increases as its volume
decreases because the molecules in the gas have to move a shorter
distance to hit the walls of the container. Does this theory follow a
macroscopic or microscopic description of chemical behavior? Explain
your answer. Ans✓✓✓ This theory follows microscopic description
molecules in the gas are determined on microscopic properties
,The amount of heat required to melt 2 lbs of ice is twice the amount of
heat required to melt 1 lb of ice. Is this observation a macroscopic or
microscopic description of chemical behavior? Explain your answer.
Ans✓✓✓ This is a macroscopic observation.
Explanation:
When you have something that It is depends on the mass, you can be
sure that this is a macroscopic description of chemical behavior, because
macroscopic observation can be measured with extensive magnitudes
such as volume, mass, and length.
chemistry Ans✓✓✓ study of the composition, properties, and
interactions of matter
hypothesis Ans✓✓✓ tentative explanation of observations that acts as a
guide for gathering and checking information
law Ans✓✓✓ statement that summarizes a vast number of experimental
observations, and describes or predicts some aspect of the natural world
macroscopic domain Ans✓✓✓ realm of everyday things that are large
enough to sense directly by human sight and touch
microscopic domain Ans✓✓✓ realm of things that are much too small
to be sensed directly
, scientific method Ans✓✓✓ path of discovery that leads from question
and observation to law or hypothesis to theory, combined with
experimental verification of the hypothesis and any necessary
modification of the theory
symbolic domain Ans✓✓✓ specialized language used to represent
components of the macroscopic and microscopic domains, such as
chemical symbols, chemical formulas, chemical equations, graphs,
drawings, and calculations
Theory Ans✓✓✓ well-substantiated, comprehensive, testable
explanation of a particular aspect of nature
Matter Ans✓✓✓ defined as anything that occupies space and has mass
solid Ans✓✓✓ rigid and possesses a definite shape
liquid Ans✓✓✓ flows and takes the shape of a container, except that it
forms a flat or slightly curved upper surface when acted upon by gravity.
gas Ans✓✓✓ takes both the shape and volume of its container.
fourth state of matter plasma Ans✓✓✓ gaseous state of matter that
contains appreciable numbers of electrically charged particles
COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Explain how you could experimentally determine whether the outside
temperature is higher or lower than 0 °C (32 °F) without using a
thermometer? Ans✓✓✓ Place a glass of water outside. It will freeze if
the temperature is below 0 °C.
Identify each of the following statements as being most similar to a
hypothesis, a law, or a theory. Explain your reasoning.
(a) The pressure of a sample of gas is directly proportional to the
temperature of the gas.
(b) Matter consists of tiny particles that can combine in specific ratios to
form substances with specific properties.
(c) At a higher temperature, solids (such as salt or sugar) will dissolve
better in water. Ans✓✓✓ (a) law (states a consistently observed
phenomenon, can be used for prediction)
(b) theory (a widely accepted explanation of the behavior of matter)
(c) hypothesis (a tentative explanation, can be investigated by
experimentation)
Identify each of the underlined items as a part of either the macroscopic
domain, the microscopic domain, or the symbolic domain of chemistry.
For those in the symbolic domain, indicate whether they are symbols for
a macroscopic or a microscopic feature.
a.) The mass of a lead pipe is 14 lb.
b.)The mass of a certain chlorine atom is 35 amu.
,c.)A bottle with a label that reads Al contains aluminum metal.
d.) Al is the symbol for an aluminum atom. Ans✓✓✓ a.) macroscopic
b.) microscopic
c.) Symbolic; microscopic
d.) Symbolic; microscopic
Identify each of the underlined items as a part of either the macroscopic
domain, the microscopic domain, or the symbolic domain of chemistry.
For those in the symbolic domain, indicate whether they are symbols for
a macroscopic or a microscopic feature.
(a) A certain molecule contains one H atom and one Cl atom.
(b) Copper wire has a density of about 8 g/cm3.
(c) The bottle contains 15 grams of Ni powder.
(d) A sulfur molecule is composed of eight sulfur atoms. Ans✓✓✓ (a)
symbolic, microscopic
(b) macroscopic
(c) symbolic, macroscopic
(d) microscopic
According to one theory, the pressure of a gas increases as its volume
decreases because the molecules in the gas have to move a shorter
distance to hit the walls of the container. Does this theory follow a
macroscopic or microscopic description of chemical behavior? Explain
your answer. Ans✓✓✓ This theory follows microscopic description
molecules in the gas are determined on microscopic properties
,The amount of heat required to melt 2 lbs of ice is twice the amount of
heat required to melt 1 lb of ice. Is this observation a macroscopic or
microscopic description of chemical behavior? Explain your answer.
Ans✓✓✓ This is a macroscopic observation.
Explanation:
When you have something that It is depends on the mass, you can be
sure that this is a macroscopic description of chemical behavior, because
macroscopic observation can be measured with extensive magnitudes
such as volume, mass, and length.
chemistry Ans✓✓✓ study of the composition, properties, and
interactions of matter
hypothesis Ans✓✓✓ tentative explanation of observations that acts as a
guide for gathering and checking information
law Ans✓✓✓ statement that summarizes a vast number of experimental
observations, and describes or predicts some aspect of the natural world
macroscopic domain Ans✓✓✓ realm of everyday things that are large
enough to sense directly by human sight and touch
microscopic domain Ans✓✓✓ realm of things that are much too small
to be sensed directly
, scientific method Ans✓✓✓ path of discovery that leads from question
and observation to law or hypothesis to theory, combined with
experimental verification of the hypothesis and any necessary
modification of the theory
symbolic domain Ans✓✓✓ specialized language used to represent
components of the macroscopic and microscopic domains, such as
chemical symbols, chemical formulas, chemical equations, graphs,
drawings, and calculations
Theory Ans✓✓✓ well-substantiated, comprehensive, testable
explanation of a particular aspect of nature
Matter Ans✓✓✓ defined as anything that occupies space and has mass
solid Ans✓✓✓ rigid and possesses a definite shape
liquid Ans✓✓✓ flows and takes the shape of a container, except that it
forms a flat or slightly curved upper surface when acted upon by gravity.
gas Ans✓✓✓ takes both the shape and volume of its container.
fourth state of matter plasma Ans✓✓✓ gaseous state of matter that
contains appreciable numbers of electrically charged particles
