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Scientific foundations / Study area

Chemistry

Ongoing study

Studying matter, its composition, properties, and transformations to build a scientific foundation for practical inquiry.

Current focus: Fundamentals of Matter

My current study covers the states of matter, physical and chemical properties, physical and chemical changes, elements, compounds, mixtures, atoms, molecules, and chemical formulas.

Learning topics

  • Compare solids, liquids, and gases and recognize that other states, including plasma, exist.
  • Distinguish changes in physical form from changes in chemical composition.
  • Classify pure substances and homogeneous or heterogeneous mixtures.
  • Distinguish atoms and molecules from extended structures such as ionic lattices.
  • Read chemical formulas and count atoms using subscripts and parentheses.

Foundational skill-building outline

I am organizing chemistry into individual skills that can be practiced and reviewed in sequence. These topic groups form a working outline, not completed lessons. Their numbering is local to this page rather than textbook chapter numbering.

Each skill will connect to a reading section, an exercise set, an answer check, corrections, and a progress record. Exercise sets have not yet been assigned.

1. Matter and its classification
  1. Identify solids, liquids, and gases.
  2. Distinguish elements, compounds, and mixtures.
  3. Compare uniform and nonuniform mixtures.
  4. Recognize physical properties and chemical properties.
  5. Distinguish physical changes from chemical reactions.
2. Measurement and chemical calculations
  1. Use SI units and common metric prefixes.
  2. Express values using scientific notation.
  3. Convert units using dimensional analysis.
  4. Calculate density from mass and volume.
  5. Distinguish accuracy from precision.
  6. Apply significant figures and rounding rules.
3. Atoms and the periodic table
  1. Identify protons, neutrons, and electrons.
  2. Use atomic number and mass number.
  3. Write isotope and ion notation.
  4. Calculate particle counts for atoms and ions.
  5. Interpret average atomic mass.
  6. Locate elements by period and group.
4. Formulas and compound names
  1. Distinguish molecular substances from ionic compounds.
  2. Count atoms using subscripts and parentheses.
  3. Recognize common ions and their charges.
  4. Write charge-balanced ionic formulas.
  5. Name simple ionic and molecular compounds.
  6. Distinguish empirical and molecular formulas.
5. Moles and composition
  1. Calculate formula mass and molar mass.
  2. Convert between mass, moles, and particle counts.
  3. Calculate elemental mass percentages.
  4. Determine an empirical formula from composition.
  5. Determine a molecular formula from molar mass.
6. Solutions and concentration
  1. Identify solutes and solvents.
  2. Calculate molarity from amount and volume.
  3. Convert between concentration, solution volume, and moles.
  4. Calculate dilution quantities.
7. Reactions and stoichiometry
  1. Balance equations while conserving atoms.
  2. Classify introductory reaction types.
  3. Use balanced equations to obtain mole ratios.
  4. Calculate reactant and product quantities.
  5. Identify a limiting reactant.
  6. Calculate theoretical yield and percentage yield.

Reading reference: OpenStax Chemistry 2e, opening chapters on matter and measurement, atoms and compounds, composition and solutions, and reaction calculations. The skill labels here are an original planning outline.

Chapter 1 outlineChapter 2 outlineChapter 3 outlineChapter 4 outline

Formula practice

In Al2(SO4)3, the formula represents a ratio of 2 aluminum atoms, 3 sulfur atoms, and 12 oxygen atoms. The outer subscript multiplies both sulfur and oxygen within the parentheses.

Connections to future work

Explore how chemistry helps explain materials, battery systems, corrosion, and manufacturing. These are directions for further learning as the laboratory’s interests develop.

Study record

An introductory summary has been prepared. The current focus is building the outline. Exercise sets and worked solutions will be added when practice begins. Completed experiments and measured research results have not yet been documented.

Next learning milestone

Match the foundational skills to reading sections and exercise sets. Keep practice pending until the study outline is ready.

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