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Big Idea 1:
The chemical elements are fundamental building materials of
matter, and all matter can be understood in terms of arrangements
of atoms. These atoms retain their identity in chemical reactions.
Big Idea 2:
Chemical and physical properties of materials can be explained by
the structure and the arrangement of atoms, ions, or molecules and
the forces between them.
Big Idea 3:
Changes in matter involve the rearrangement and/or reorganization
of atoms and/or the transfer of electrons.
Big Idea 4:
Rates of chemical reactions are determined by details of the
molecular collisions.
Big Idea 5:
The laws of thermodynamics describe the essential role of energy
and explain and predict the direction of changes in matter.
Big Idea 6:
Any bond or intermolecular attraction that can be formed can
be broken. These two processes are in a dynamic competition,
sensitive to initial conditions and external perturbations.