Introduction to Chemistry

The Creator's Building Blocks
Youth Tier 2 | Grades 8-10

Course Overview

Chemistry is the study of matter—what things are made of and how they interact. Every atom, molecule, and reaction reveals the incredible design of Yahuah. In this course, you'll discover the building blocks of creation and marvel at the Creator's wisdom.

Colossians 1:16-17 - "For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth... And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."

The word "consist" means "hold together." Yahusha holds every atom in the universe together!

Lesson 1: What is Chemistry?

📖 RECEIVE: The Study of Matter

Chemistry is the study of matter, its properties, and how it changes. Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space.

Key Definitions

  • Matter: Anything that has mass and takes up space
  • Mass: The amount of matter in an object
  • Volume: The amount of space something takes up
  • Properties: Characteristics that describe matter

Types of Properties:

Physical PropertiesChemical Properties
Can be observed without changing the substanceDescribe how a substance reacts with other substances
Color, shape, size, density, melting pointFlammability, reactivity, acidity
🤔 REFLECT: Design in Chemistry

Every chemical property points to design. Water freezes at exactly 0°C and boils at exactly 100°C. Carbon can form exactly four bonds, making it perfect for building life. These precise properties didn't happen by accident—they were designed by our Creator.

✏️ RECALL: Practice Questions

Lesson 2: States of Matter

📖 RECEIVE: Solid, Liquid, Gas

Matter exists in three main states, determined by how its particles move:

StateShapeVolumeParticle Motion
SolidFixedFixedVibrate in place
LiquidTakes container shapeFixedSlide past each other
GasFills containerFills containerMove freely, far apart

State Changes

  • Melting: Solid → Liquid (add heat)
  • Freezing: Liquid → Solid (remove heat)
  • Evaporation/Boiling: Liquid → Gas (add heat)
  • Condensation: Gas → Liquid (remove heat)
  • Sublimation: Solid → Gas directly

Water: The Perfect Molecule

Water is unique in all creation:

  • It's one of the few substances that expands when it freezes
  • Ice floats—protecting life in lakes and oceans
  • It can dissolve more substances than any other liquid
  • It has a high heat capacity (stabilizes temperatures)

This is design, not accident!

✏️ RECALL: Practice Questions

Lesson 3: Atoms - The Building Blocks

📖 RECEIVE: Inside the Atom

An atom is the smallest unit of matter that retains the properties of an element. Atoms are made of even smaller particles:

ParticleChargeLocationMass
ProtonPositive (+)Nucleus (center)1 amu
NeutronNeutral (0)Nucleus (center)1 amu
ElectronNegative (-)Orbiting nucleusNearly 0

Key Facts

  • The number of protons determines which element it is
  • Atoms are mostly empty space!
  • The nucleus is incredibly dense
  • Electrons determine how atoms bond
Hebrews 11:3 - "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of Elohim, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear."

Long before microscopes, Scripture taught that visible things are made of invisible particles!

✏️ RECALL: Practice Questions

Lesson 4: Elements & The Periodic Table

📖 RECEIVE: The Elements

An element is a pure substance made of only one type of atom. There are about 118 known elements, organized in the Periodic Table.

Sample Elements

1
H
Hydrogen
6
C
Carbon
8
O
Oxygen
26
Fe
Iron
79
Au
Gold

Reading the Periodic Table:

  • Atomic Number: Number of protons (top number)
  • Symbol: 1-2 letter abbreviation
  • Atomic Mass: Protons + Neutrons (bottom number)
  • Groups (columns): Elements with similar properties
  • Periods (rows): Elements with the same number of electron shells

Essential Elements for Life

About 25 elements are essential for life. The most common:

  • Carbon (C): The backbone of all organic molecules
  • Hydrogen (H): In water and organic molecules
  • Oxygen (O): In water, air, and organic molecules
  • Nitrogen (N): In proteins and DNA
✏️ RECALL: Practice Questions

Lesson 5: Molecules & Compounds

📖 RECEIVE: Atoms Combine

When atoms bond together, they form molecules. A compound is a molecule made of two or more different elements.

Common Molecules

H₂O = Water (2 hydrogen + 1 oxygen)

CO₂ = Carbon Dioxide (1 carbon + 2 oxygen)

NaCl = Table Salt (1 sodium + 1 chlorine)

C₆H₁₂O₆ = Glucose/Sugar

Understanding Chemical Formulas

  • Letters represent elements
  • Subscript numbers show how many atoms
  • No subscript means 1 atom
  • Example: H₂O = 2 hydrogen atoms + 1 oxygen atom

The Water Molecule: Perfect Design

H₂O is bent at a 104.5° angle—not straight. This angle gives water its unique properties:

  • Makes water a polar molecule (slightly charged ends)
  • Allows water to dissolve many substances
  • Creates surface tension
  • Allows ice to float

Change this angle even slightly, and life would be impossible!

✏️ RECALL: Practice Questions

Lesson 6: Chemical Bonds

📖 RECEIVE: How Atoms Connect

Atoms bond together by sharing or transferring electrons. The main types of bonds:

Bond TypeHow It WorksExample
IonicOne atom gives electrons to anotherNaCl (salt)
CovalentAtoms share electronsH₂O (water)
HydrogenWeak attraction between moleculesWater to water

Why Atoms Bond

Atoms "want" full outer electron shells (usually 8 electrons—the "octet rule"). They bond to achieve this stable configuration.

✏️ RECALL: Practice Questions

Lesson 7: Chemical Reactions

📖 RECEIVE: Matter Changing

A chemical reaction occurs when substances combine or break apart to form new substances with different properties.

Anatomy of a Chemical Equation

Reactants → Products

2H₂ + O₂ → 2H₂O

(2 hydrogen molecules + 1 oxygen molecule → 2 water molecules)

Signs of Chemical Reactions

  • Color change
  • Gas bubbles produced
  • Temperature change (heat released or absorbed)
  • Precipitate forms (solid appears in liquid)
  • Light produced

Types of Reactions:

  • Synthesis: A + B → AB (combining)
  • Decomposition: AB → A + B (breaking apart)
  • Combustion: Fuel + O₂ → CO₂ + H₂O + energy

Simple Reaction: Baking Soda + Vinegar

NaHCO₃ + CH₃COOH → CO₂ + H₂O + NaCH₃COO

This produces carbon dioxide gas (the bubbles you see!).

✏️ RECALL: Practice Questions

Lesson 8: Acids & Bases

📖 RECEIVE: The pH Scale

Acids and bases are two important categories of chemicals. The pH scale measures how acidic or basic a substance is.

The pH Scale (0-14)

pH RangeTypeExamples
0-6AcidLemon juice (2), vinegar (3), coffee (5)
7NeutralPure water
8-14Base (alkaline)Baking soda (9), soap (10), bleach (13)

Acid-Base Properties

AcidsBases
Taste sourTaste bitter
React with metalsFeel slippery
Donate H⁺ ionsAccept H⁺ ions
Proverbs 25:20 - "As he that taketh away a garment in cold weather, and as vinegar upon nitre, so is he that singeth songs to an heavy heart."

This verse describes the acid-base reaction between vinegar (acid) and nitre/soda (base)—Scripture mentioned chemistry thousands of years ago!

✏️ RECALL: Practice Questions

Lesson 9: Chemistry in Living Things

📖 RECEIVE: Biochemistry Basics

Biochemistry is the chemistry of life. Living things are made of four main types of molecules:

Molecule TypeMade OfFunction
CarbohydratesC, H, OEnergy, structure
Lipids (fats)C, H, OEnergy storage, cell membranes
ProteinsC, H, O, N, SStructure, enzymes, transport
Nucleic AcidsC, H, O, N, PDNA and RNA—genetic information

DNA: The Code of Life

DNA is the most complex molecule known to science. It:

  • Contains the instructions for building every protein
  • Uses a 4-letter code (A, T, G, C)
  • If stretched out, your DNA would reach the sun and back 600 times
  • Contains more information than any human-made storage system

Information always comes from intelligence. DNA proves a Creator!

✏️ RECALL: Practice Questions

Lesson 10: Chemistry in Everyday Life

📖 RECEIVE: Chemistry All Around Us

Chemistry is everywhere! Here are some everyday examples:

ActivityChemistry Involved
Cooking/BakingChemical reactions (Maillard reaction, leavening)
CleaningAcids, bases, surfactants
BreathingGas exchange, hemoglobin chemistry
DigestionEnzyme reactions, acid breakdown
Fire/BurningCombustion reactions
RustOxidation of iron

Kitchen Chemistry Experiments

  • Make a pH indicator: Boil red cabbage, use the water to test acids and bases
  • Invisible ink: Write with lemon juice, reveal with heat
  • Crystals: Grow salt or sugar crystals from supersaturated solutions
  • Density tower: Layer honey, water, and oil
Romans 1:20 - "For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead."

Chemistry reveals Yahuah's invisible design through visible matter!

🎯 RESPOND: Course Summary

Answer Key

Lesson 1

1. matter | 2. physical | 3. chemical | 4. Anything that has mass and takes up space

Lesson 2

1. Solid, liquid, gas | 2. Evaporation or boiling | 3. Gas | 4. It protects life in water below from freezing; insulates lakes and oceans

Lesson 3

1. Protons, neutrons, electrons | 2. Proton | 3. Center of the atom | 4. The number of protons

Lesson 4

1. A pure substance made of only one type of atom | 2. The number of protons | 3. Au | 4. Carbon

Lesson 5

1. Two or more atoms bonded together | 2. 3 (2 hydrogen + 1 oxygen) | 3. CO₂ | 4. NaCl

Lesson 6

1. Covalent | 2. Ionic | 3. Atoms "want" 8 electrons in their outer shell to be stable

Lesson 7

1. Reactants | 2. Products | 3. Any two: color change, gas bubbles, temperature change, precipitate forms, light produced

Lesson 8

1. 7 | 2. Acid | 3. Base | 4. They neutralize each other, forming water and a salt

Lesson 9

1. Carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids | 2. Nucleic acids (DNA) | 3. DNA contains complex information/code, and information always comes from intelligence