10533 - Lab-based Course in General and Inorganic Chemistry

Learning outcomes

The aim of the course is to become familiar with the basic equipment and techniques of the chemical laboratory. In particular, students will be able to: read safety data sheets, use chemicals safely; use the IUPAC nomenclature and SI units; perform stoichiometric calculations and prepare solutions of known concentration; collect and process experimental data; correlating experimental data with the principles of chemistry.

Course contents

The course requires attendance at least 75% of the lessons and laboratory activities. To access the laboratory exercises, it is necessary to have attended 4/5 of the General Chemistry lessons held up to the beginning of the laboratory. It is also mandatory to have participated in the safety training courses.

The following topics will be covered during the course:

- Safety in chemical laboratories.

- The laboratory equipment.

- Fundamental laboratory techniques.

-Execution of laboratory experience and data analysis.

The experimental part of the course is based on the following laboratory exercises:

1. Purification of benzoic acid
2. Chemical reactions, redox and reducing power scale
3. Preparation of double salts
4. Solubility of silver acetate
5. Acid-base titrations
6. Solution equilibria: buffer solutions
7.Determination of an equilibrium constant with spectrophotometric measurements
8. Redox titrations
9. Stoichiometric verification: copper reactions
10. Determination of equilibrium constants with electrochemical measurements

NB: depending on the availability of reagents and instrumentation there may be small variations on the experiences.

 

Readings/Bibliography

The professor distributes the laboratory manual where the laboratory experiences are described.


The theoretical treatment of the topics was dealt with in the general chemistry course and is reported in any university chemistry textbook.

Kotz, Treichel, Weaver, "Chemistry", EdiSES

Atkins, Jones "Principles of Chemistry," Zanichelli editor.

Teaching methods

The course includes:

• Lectures, aimed at preparing students for the laboratory exercises. These lectures will cover explanations of the laboratory experiments, numerical exercises useful for solving stoichiometric problems, and classroom demonstrations of the activities that will later be carried out in the lab. The operational procedures to be followed will also be presented.

• Individual laboratory exercises, designed to help students acquire the basic skills necessary for conducting laboratory activities.

• Laboratory reports: for each experiment performed, students will be required to write a report to be submitted to the instructor.

Assessment methods

Attendance is mandatory for the entire course, including both lectures and laboratory exercises. Students will be required to sign an attendance sheet for both types of activities.

Working students who have difficulty attending morning lectures are encouraged to contact the instructor well in advance via email (simone.dagostino2@unibo.it ).

Each student is required to submit a written report for every laboratory exercise.

The reports will be assessed during the course and graded on a 30-point scale (x/30). Honors (lode) will not be awarded for lab reports.

There is no final written or oral exam. At the end of the course, a pass/fail qualification (idoneità) will be granted, subject to the following conditions:

1. Attendance of at least 75% of the course (lectures and lab exercises);

2. A positive evaluation in at least 75% of the lab reports;

3. Successful completion of a final practical test.

Teaching tools

Teaching activity in the room:

blackboard, PowerPoint presentations, multimedia material

For the exercises, the didactic laboratory of general and inorganic chemistry of the Interdepartmental Center for the Chemistry and Pharmacy Teaching Laboratories - CILDIC will be used.

To access the laboratory, one must wear a laboratory coat, which each student must procure independently. At the same time, protective goggles and latex/nitrile gloves will be available in the laboratory.
Access to the laboratories is carried out in compliance with the protocols approved by the "Giacomo Ciamician" Department of Chemistry.

Online courses on safety and health in study and research areas. Modules 1 and 2 in e-learning mode

Module 3 Information on the dates and methods of attendance of module 3 can be consulted in the specific section of the degree program website.

Office hours

See the website of Simone D'Agostino