00130 - General and Inorganic Chemistry

Learning outcomes

The purpose of the course is to provide the basic knowledge on the structure of the natural matter as well as the thermodynamic and kinetic principles that regulate its transformation. Special attention will be given to the chemical reactions occurring in the agro-environmental biosphere through the study of the structural and functional properties of simple molecules in the nutrient cycles.

Course contents

Atomic structure, energy, electromagnetic radiation, wave-particle dualism, quanta and photons, uncertainty principle, wave functions, energy levels, atomic models, quantum numbers, Bohr model of the hydrogen atom, electronic structure of multi-electron atoms, electronic configuration, periodic table and periodic properties. The nature of the chemical bond, valence bond theory, covalent bond, Lewis formalism, bonding and non-bonding electron pairs, resonance, formal charge, bond order, octet rule, radicals, molecular electric dipole, polar covalent bond, electronegativity, bond length and bond energy, polarizability, molecular structure, VSEPR model, hybridization of atomic orbitals. Ionic bond and crystal lattices. Intermolecular forces and their electrostatic nature, properties of solids and liquids, hydrogen bond and the structure of water. Properties of ideal and real gases. Thermochemistry, thermodynamic system, thermodynamic state, internal energy, work, heat, thermal capacity, temperature, reaction enthalpy, entropy, Gibbs free energy. The chemical equilibrium, equilibrium constant, state diagrams, solubility, colligative properties. Gas phase equilibria, Le Chatelier principle. Aqueous phase equilibria. Acids and bases, self-protolysis of water, acid/base conjugate pairs, pH, pOH, acidity scale, weak and strong acids and bases, solution pH, polyprotic acids, buffers, acid/base titrations. Heterogeneous equilibria and solubility. Redox reactions, galvanic cells, cell potential, Nernst equation. Chemical kinetics, reaction rate, kinetic law, order of reactions, activation energy, Arrhenius law, catalysis.

Readings/Bibliography

Atkins, Jones "PRINCIPI DI CHIMICA", Casa Editrice Zanichelli, Bologna

Bertini, Luchinat, Mani "CHIMICA" Casa Editrice CEA

Teaching methods

The lectures will involve the use of presentations through a beamer driven by a PC. Multimedial material will be presented, such as slides, movies, animations and three-dimensional visualization of atoms, molecules and materials. Problem solving sessions will be carried out in order for the student to gain acquaintance with the numeric treatment of chemical problems.

Assessment methods

The critical assessment of the student preparation for the course in General and Inorganic Chemistry will be carried out simultaneously with the course in Organic Chemistry, in such a way as to provide a logical and pedagogical coherence to the fully integrated course. The final examination comprises a test made of questions and numeric problems, as well as a colloquium. Access to the colloquium is not prevented if the test is failed, but the test outcome will be considered to determine the final grade. No partial tests will be carried out through the teaching period. 

Teaching tools

The multimedial material utilized during the lectures will be made available for download from the teacher's web site.

Office hours

See the website of Stefano Luciano Ciurli