chemistry

Topics covered - (provisional)

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The main topics to be covered are:

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Introduction: Matter and Measurement

• Atoms, Molecules and Ions

• Stoichiometry: Calculations with Chemical Formulas and Equations

• Aqueous Reactions and Solution Stoichiometry

• Electronic Structure of Atoms

• Periodic Properties of Elements

• Basic Concepts of Chemical Bonding

• Molecular Geometry

 

Laboratory Experiments, Demonstrations and Workshops:

• Laboratory Safety Demonstrations

• Significant Figures – Making Measurements in the Chemistry Laboratory (Workshop)

• Basic Laboratory Techniques

• Graphs in Chemistry (Workshop)

• Experimental Determination of Density

• Double Displacement Reactions and Precipitates

• Acid-Base Titrations (Workshop)

• Molecular Geometry (Workshop)

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Learning outcomes

 

After completion of the course students are expected to be able to:

• Use the concept of significant figures in calculations, and in particular apply the rules of significant figures using laboratory measurements and in the analysis of experimental data

• Explain atomic and molecular structure and discuss the arrangement of atoms or molecules in different forms of matter

• Utilize qualitatively and quantitatively chemical equations for a variety of chemical reaction types

• Explain and use the results of quantum mechanics for the electronic structure in atoms and discuss how electronic structure can be employed to explain the periodic trends of various properties

• Discuss the basic principles of chemical bonding including the application of molecular orbitals in the description of covalent bonding

• Predict the molecular geometry of polyatomic molecules and molecular ions from the Lewis structure, and demonstrate the application of hybrid orbitals in predicting molecular geometry

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Essential reading

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• Provisional reading -  T.L. Brown, H.E. Lemay, B.E. Bursten and C.J. Murphy (2009), Chemistry The Central Science, 11th Edition: Prentice Hall