6.1 - 6.6 Elements

Question 1

alchemists

Answer 1

olden-day ‘chemist’ who mixed chemicals and tried to change ordinary metals into gold. Alchemists also tried to tell the future.

Question 2

investigations

Answer 2

activity aimed at finding information

Question 3

observations

Answer 3

information obtained by the use of our senses or measuring instruments

Question 4

scientists

Answer 4

people skilled in or working in the fields of science; scientists use experiments to find out about the material world around them

Question 5

elements:

Answer 5

pure substance made up of only one type of atom

Question 6

atoms

Answer 6

a very small particle that makes up all things. Atoms have the same properties as the objects they make up.

Question 7

atomic number

Answer 7

number of protons in the nucleus of an atom. The atomic number determines which element an atom is.

Question 8

chemical symbol

Answer 8

the standard way that scientists write the names of the elements, using either a capital letter or a capital followed by a lowercase letter. For example, carbon is C and copper is Cu.

Question 9

compounds

Answer 9

substance made up of two or more different types of atoms that have been joined (bonded) together

Question 10

bonded

Answer 10

force that holds particles of matter, such as atoms, together

Question 11

mixtures

Answer 11

a combination of substances in which each keeps its own properties

Question 12

hydrogen

Answer 12

the element with the smallest atom. By itself, it is a colourless gas and combines with other elements to form a large number of substances, including water. It is the most common element in living things.

Question 13

oxygen

Answer 13

a gas in the air (and water) that animals need to breathe in; made up of particles with two oxygen atoms. Plants produce oxygen as part of photosynthesis.