ABSTRACT
Chemical properties deal with the characteristics of a material such as its structure and formation from the elements. This chapter discusses the areas of inorganic and organic chemistry and their importance to the industrial hygiene professional. Inorganic chemistry is the study of compounds derived from minerals and other non-carbon compounds. Ionization potential deals with the ease with which atoms can give up their electrons. The amount of energy needed for ionization to occur decreases to the left and down in the periodic chart. Electrochemical potential describes how active metals will react when exposed to certain materials such as water. Reactivity is the ability of a substance to undergo rapid, sometimes violent reactions under certain conditions. Activation energy is the amount of energy needed for two colliding molecules to form an activated complex. Reaction kinetics deals with determining the speed or rate of reactions.
