00088 - Chemistry

Learning outcomes

The student will acquire thebasic principlesof General and Inorganic Chemistry. In particular: the atomic structure; the chemical properties of the elements and their compounds; the molecular structures; the chemical reactions; the energy exchange; the matter states; the kinetics of chemical reactions; the equilibria in solution, the acid-base properties; the electrochemistry.

Course contents

ELEMENTS OF CHEMISTRY

Units of Measurement. Elements and compounds. The chemical formulas and the nomenclature. Determination of the molecular formula from elements analysis and molecular weight. Atoms, molecules, and their dimension. The mole and the Atomic Mass Unit. Atomic and molecular weights. The Avogadro's number and its experimental determination.

ATOMIC STRUCTURE

Atomic composition. Dimension and structure of the nucleus. Isotopes. Isotopes abundance and atomic weight. Stable and radioactive nucleus. β- and β+ , Electron capture, α decays. The decay laws. Environmental radioactivity. Electronic configuration of the elements. The Planck's constant and the energy quantization. The wave-corpuscular dual behaviour. The uncertainty principle. Orbitals and the quantum numbers. Quantum theory for the hydrogen atom. Energy levels in poly-electron atoms. Ionization energy. Electron affinity. Electronegativity. The periodic Table of the elements and the properties of the elements.

CHEMICAL BOND

General concepts. Electronic configuration and molecular geometry. Lewis structures. Oxidation number. The covalent bond. The polar covalent bond. Ionic bond. Molecular orbitals theory (LCAO). Examples (H2, N2, O2, CO, NO). Hybrid orbitals method. VSEPR method. Resonance. Coordination bonds. Metallic bond. The hydrogen bond and its importance for the biological macromolecules structure and function. Intermolecular forces.

CHEMICAL REACTIONS.

Equation balancing. Algebraic method. The redox reactions and their balancing, half- reactions method. Stoichiometry.

THERMODYNAMICS

Matter states. General properties of solid, liquid and gaseous stetes. Changes of states and phase diagrams. General properties of solutions: ideal and real solutions, the activity coefficients, Ionic force. Colligative properties. Internal energy and enthalpy. Entropy. Free energy and spontaneity of reactions. Free energy and chemical equilibrium. Kinetics theory of the gas state. The Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution of energy and speed.

The kinetics of the chemical reactions

Rate of reaction. Reaction mechanisms and the intermediate steps. First and second order reactions. Kinetic equation. Parameters affecting the kinetic constant; the temperature and activation energy effect. Catalysis. Enzymes, the biological catalysts. Kinetics and chemical equilibrium.

CHEMICAL EQUILIBRIUM

Chemical equilibrium. The Equilibrium constant. Homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibria. Acid- base equilibria. The Kw. Acids and bases: the Lewis, Bronsted, and Lowry theories. The Ka and the pKa. The Kb. The pH. pH values of 1) strong acids or bases solution; 2) of weak acids or bases solutions; 3) of amphoteric species; 4) salts solutions. Buffers. Solubility and Kps. Solubility and pH. The common ion effect. Liquid-liquid heterogeneous equilibria, the partition coefficients.

ELECTROCHEMISTRY

Electrochemical cells. Electrode potentials. Standard redox potentials. The Nernst law. Spontaneity of redox reactions and equilibrium constants. Galvanic cells. Electrolysis.

Readings/Bibliography

-P. Atkins, L. Jones, “Principi di chimica”, Zanichelli.-

-R. Bertani el al., "Chimica generale ed inorganica", Casa Editrice Ambrosiana

-I. Bertini, C. Luchinat, F. Mani, “Chimica”, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana

-J. E. Brady, J. R. Holum, “Fondamenti di chimica”, Zanichelli.

-J. Burdge, "Chimica", Casa Editrice Ambrosiana

-R. Chang, “Fondamenti di Chimica Generale”, McGraw-Hill

-J. Kotz, P. Treichel, G Weaver, “Chimica”, EdiSES.

Teaching methods

Class lessons: theory and stoichiometric exercises.

Assessment methods

The exam is composed of final written test and oral examination.

Admission to oral depends on the result of the written test. Students which obtained a score ³ 15/30 can sit for the oral examination. In case of score ³18/30 the student can choose to do not take the oral examination, recording the written test score as the total score of the General Chemistry exam. Nevertheless, the final decision to accept this choice it's up to the teacher.

Each written test is valid for 12 months, but in case a new written test has been taken during the 12 months the previous one will be annulled. Also in case the student fails the oral exam the previous written test will be annulled.

Matter of the oral exam will be the discussion about one or more topics (practical exercises or theory) selected by the teacher. The oral test score can be in the range -3 points to +6 points (Additional points or the “cum laude” mark are up to the teacher).

Teaching tools

PC connected projector, overhead projector for class lessons.

Distribution of copies of extra-materials when needed and possibility to download the files of the lessons from the website of theteacher.

Office hours

See the website of Elida Nora Ferri

See the website of Luca Laghi