00130 - General Inorganic Chemistry

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student:
- possesses basic knowledge of atomic structure, chemical bonding, solution properties, the main chemical reactions and the thermodynamic and kinetic elements that characterize them;
- is able to trace the geometric structure and nomenclature of inorganic compounds;
- knows how to balance chemical reactions from reactants, predicting their spontaneity;
- is able to apply the acquired knowledge to the solution of problems peculiar to the profession.

Course contents

PART 1: From the atom to molecules (lecturer Prof. Franceesco Musiani)

Introduction: Organisation of the lessons and methods for verifying learning. Introduction to the topics of the programme. Presentation of chemistry, its instruments and objectives.

Structure and properties of the atom: Properties of matter. Physical and chemical changes. Pure substances and mixtures. Elements and compounds. Dalton's atomic theory. Atoms and molecules. Electrical nature of matter: electrons, protons, neutrons. Atomic number, mass number. Isotopes. Ions. Kinetic energy and potential in the atomic system. Electromagnetic radiation and electromagnetic spectrum. Wave and corpuscular nature of light: photoelectric effect and Plank-Einstein equation. Corpuscular and wave nature of matter: electron interference and the De Broglie equation. Hydrogen emission and absorption spectra and energy quantisation. Bohr's atomic model. Emission and absorption spectra of polyelectronic atoms. Heisenberg's uncertainty principle. Probabilistic atom theory and Schroedinger equation. Quantum numbers and atomic orbitals. Illustration of the wave function. Hydrogen atoms and energy of orbitals as a function of the principal quantum number. Polyelectronic atoms: screen effect and energy of orbitals as a function of secondary quantum number. Energy dependence of atomic orbitals as a function of quantum number. Electronic configurations and organisation of the periodic table of the elements. Periodic properties of the elements: atomic radius, ionisation energy and electronic affinity. Metals and non-metals.

The covalent bond and molecules: The chemical bond: energy in the diatomic system. Valence bond theory. Sigma and pi-greek bonding. Hybridisation of atomic orbitals. Bonding and non-bonding electrons. Repulsion of electron pairs and molecular geometry. Lewis formalism for the prediction of molecular structures. Electronegativity. Electric dipole moment. Molecular geometry and VSEPR model. Formal charges and oxidation number. Resonance forms. Solving exercises on Lewis formulae. Molecular orbital theory. Paramagnetism and diamagnetism. HOMO, LUMO. Molecular orbital diagrams of homo- and hetero-nuclear molecules. Polar covalent bonding and molecular orbitals.

 

PART 2: Properties of matter and chemical transformations (Lecturer Prof. Barbara Zambelli)

Other types of chemical bonds and properties of matter: Ionic bonding. Theory of rigid spheres and packing. Atomic radius and ionic radius. Madelung constant. Properties of ionic solids. Metal bonding. Intermolecular forces. Polarisability. Hydrogen bonds. Molecular kinetic theory of ideal gases. Equation of state of ideal gases. State transitions. State diagrams. Vapour pressure. Surface tension. Capillarity. Viscosity.

Chemical transformations: Stoichiometry. Concept of chemical equation. Mass relations in chemical reactions. Atomic mass scale. Percentage composition of a compound. The mole and molar mass. Limiting reagent. Yield of a reaction. Resolution of exercises and numerical problems on stoichiometry. Balancing of oxidation-reduction reactions.

Chemical kinetics: Reaction rate. Kinetic law. Reaction order. Rate constant. Reaction mechanism. Collision theory. Activation energy. Arrhenius equation. Multistage reactions. Catalysis. Integration of reaction kinetic laws of order zero, one and two. Resolution of exercises and numerical problems.

Chemical thermodynamics: Chemical reactions and equilibrium. Chemical thermodynamics. Thermodynamic systems. Work and heat. Internal energy and enthalpy. Entropy. Gibbs free energy and spontaneity of a reaction. Resolution of exercises and numerical problems.

 

PART 3: Chemical equilibrium in the gas phase and in aqueous solution (Lecturer Prof. Francesco Musiani)

Chemical equilibria in the gas phase: Reaction quotient. Equilibrium constant. Equilibria in the gas phase. Kp and Kc. Le Chatelier principle. Resolution of exercises and numerical problems.

Chemical equilibria in aqueous solution: Mixtures. Solutions and dispersions. Electrolyte concept. Units of concentration. Van't Hoff coefficient. Colligative properties of solutions. Osmosis. Solubility of gases in water. Equilibria in aqueous solutions. Autoprotonation of water. pH. Acids and bases according to Arrhenius, Brønsted-Lowry and Lewis. Acid dissociation. Basic hydrolysis. Strength of acids and bases. Acid-base reactions. Buffer solutions. Effect of dilution. Polyprotic acids. Acid-base titrations. Acid-base colorimetric indicators. Heterogeneous equilibria and solubility. Solubility product. Common ion effect. Selective precipitation of metal ions. Resolution of exercises and numerical problems.

Electrochemistry: Oxidation-reduction reactions and electrochemistry. Electromotive force. Reduction potentials. Nernst equation. Concentration stacks. Standard electrodes. Spontaneity of an oxidation-reduction reaction. Solving exercises and numerical problems.

Readings/Bibliography

Credi, Del Zotto, Gasperotto, Marchetti, Zuccaccia "Viaggio nella Chimica", EdiSES

Arnesano, Bandoli, Bisceglie, Dolmella, Maggioni, Musiani, Natile, Natile, Tesauro "Chimica di Base", EdiSES

Atkins, Jones, Laverman "Principi di Chimica", Zanichelli

Bertini, Luchinat, Mani, Ravera "Chimica", CEA

Bertini, Luchinat, Mani, Ravera "Stechiometria", CEA

Del Zotto "Esercizi di Chimica Generale", EdiSES

Pacifico, Margiotta "Esercizi risolti (e non) di Stechiometria", EdiSES

Teaching methods

he lectures will be conducted using PC-guided projections of slides and films, as well as animations from calculation programmes and visualisation of molecules and materials. Classroom exercises will take place in order to familiarise students with solving problems and numerical exercises.

Please note that it is necessary to attend at least 60% of the lectures to be eligible for the examination. Attendance will be collected by means of a QRcode generated using the University's "Presenza Studenti" ("Student Attendance") application.

Assessment methods

Learning is tested by means of a final examination, in which the acquisition of the expected knowledge and skills is ascertained by means of a (mandatory) written test lasting three hours, followed by an interview (optional). The examination will be conducted without the aid of notes or books, but a periodic table and calculator are allowed.

The written test consists of two parts

1. a first preliminary part of 16 multiple-choice questions worth 1 point each. Answering at least 9 out of 16 questions correctly is necessary to achieve a pass in the first part and is a requirement for the second part to be correct.
2. a second part consisting of 4-8 problems (the score of which depends on the difficulty of the individual problem and which award partial points for partial answers).

The mark for the written test is calculated as the sum of the marks for the two parts.

A minimum mark of 16 points is required to be admitted to the oral test. The final mark is calculated as the arithmetic mean of the mark for the written test and the mark for the oral test.

Teaching tools

Multimedia material used during lectures will be made available to students via download from the "Virtuale" website.

Students are requested to inform the lecturers of any needs by private email. This will enable lecturers to assess which teaching support tools are most appropriate for making the course usable by all students on the course. Please remember that you must always write to both lecturers.

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Musiani

See the website of Barbara Zambelli