1 Atoms First

Introduction

From the origins of the universe to the dramatic development of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, chemical elements are essential to our understanding of nature.

Chemistry deals with the composition, properties, and structure of matter, as well as the ways in which substances can transform into different forms. However, this definition is too broad to be useful because geologists and environmental scientists also study the composition and transformations of matter. Geology examines minerals, which transform through geological processes like erosion, and continents, which transform through earthquakes and plate drift.

Geochemists and chemists understand and explain everything in terms of the properties of just over 100 types of atoms found in all matter, and the variety of molecules that are created by forming and breaking bonds between atoms. Therefore, chemistry is defined by its approach, rather than its subject matter. Chemistry explains or understands any subject regarding the properties of atoms and molecules.

Chemistry plays a crucial role in Geology, providing a unique perspective. For example, The Earth Scientist’s Periodic Table has been specifically designed from Earth sciences perspective.

Fig. 1 The Earth Scientist’s Periodic Table of the Elements and Their Ions is a new periodic table designed to contextualize trends in geochemistry, mineralogy, aqueous chemistry, and other natural sciences. Image source: An Earth Scientist’s Periodic Table
of the Elements and Their Ions

In this chapter we recap some of the elementary concepts of introductory college chemistry – especially, the concepts covered in detail during the first semester of a two-semester college chemistry sequence (e.g., CHEM 111).

Learning Goals

Learning Goals

The main goals for this chapter are to:

1. define basic atomic principles,

2. identify different expressions of mass and concentrations, and

3. understand the organization and trends in the periodic table.

References

1. Chemistry: Atoms First 2e

2. Ch. 2 Atoms, Molecules, and Ions - Chemistry: Atoms First 2e | OpenStax

3. Ch. 3 Electronic Structure and Periodic Properties of Elements - Chemistry: Atoms First 2e | OpenStax

4. Ch. 4 Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry - Chemistry: Atoms First 2e | OpenStax

5. Ch. 6 Composition of Substance and Solutions - Chemistry: Atoms First 2e | OpenStax

6. Ch. 7 Stoichiometry of Chemical Reactions - Chemistry: Atoms First 2e | OpenStax