Ateneo - UPO

The purpose of the course is to provide students the basic knowledge in general and inorganic chemistry. The connection with the various biological disciplines will be discussed, in particular with the use of examples and numerical exercises.

The use of a University-level textbook is required (high school books are not recommended).
Suggested Reference Books:
-Kotz, Treichel, Townsend, “Chimica” Edises;
-Masterton, Hurley: "Chimica: Principi e Reazioni", Piccin;
-Tro: "Chimica: un approccio molecolare", Edises;
-Whitten, Davis, Peck, Stanley, Chimica, Piccin.
Stoichiometry Reference Books:
-Breschi, Massagli: "Stechiometria", Edizioni ETS;
-M. Bruschi, Stechiometria e laboratorio di chimica generale, Eserciziario, Pearson;
-Uguzzoli: "Come risolvere i problemi di chimica", Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
The slides, old exam texts and other resources will be made available on D.I.R. website

The course aims at introducing the students of the main understanding of chemical phenomena, with details of applicative aspects. A supplementary noteworthy effort will be set on the chemical behavior of aqueous solutions and related chemical reactions, to establish the necessary basis for supplementary chemistry courses and related biological courses.

Basic (high school) knowledge of mathematics and physics

Classroom lessons in which the main topics reported in the abovementioned program will be addressed. Course is hereafter completed by practical classroom exercises to tackle a few of the exposed topics.

Learning Control: Interactive discussion of the explained topics will be stimulated. Students will be involved in the shared resolution of applicative exercises, to strengthen their knowledge and test actual progresses.

The exam consists of a 2-hour written exam that evaluates the student's ability to apply the knowledge acquired during the course. This test will foresee 6 numerical (stoichiometric) exercises and 6 questions (theory).
For the stoichiometry part, the exercises may include: the balance of chemical reactions, gas laws, property of the solutions, acid-base properties, solubility, electrochemistry. For the theoretical part, the questions (essays questions) may include: the electronic structure of the atoms, the periodic system, the chemical bond, the intermolecular forces and the physical states of matter, thermodynamics and kinetics, acids and bases.
The exercises will be chosen so that the entire program is covered, and the students can demonstrate that they know and understand at least the basic concepts through their applications. The difficulty level of the exercises corresponds to the program and the reference texts indicated.
Each of the six stoichiometric exercises will be awarded max 3 points, whereas each of the six theoretical exercises will be awarded max 2 points (if error-free). The written test will be passed if the sum of the scores is not less than 18 points (18/30).

The matter: physical states, definition of matter (elements, compounds and mixtures). The atomic structure. Atoms and isotopes. Compounds and molecular representations (the laws of definite proportions and of multiple proportions). Atomic and molecular weights. Definition of amu, Avogadro's Number and the concept of mole. Chemical reactions (oxidation numbers, balance of redox and non-redox reactions). The quanto-mechanical description of the atom (orbital concept, quantum numbers, the Aufbau principle). The Periodic Table and its correspondence with the electronic structure of elements. Periodic properties. The chemical bond: the octet rule, ionic bonds, covalent bonds in the theory of valence bond. Hybrid orbitals. The concept of resonance. Bond order and bond lengths, multiple bonds. Electronegativity, polarity of bonds and molecules. Intermolecular forces (ion-dipole, dipole-dipole, hydrogen bonds, induced dipoles, dispersion forces). The aggregation states of matter. Gas: definition and the law of perfect gases. Liquid and solid states. State changes (state diagrams). Solutions: concentrations and colligative properties. Thermodynamics: definitions, the principles of thermodynamics, enthalpy, entropy, free energy. Chemical kinetics: definitions and integrated kinetic laws (zero order, 1st and 2nd order), activation energy and the control of a reaction rate (Arrhenius' law), catalysts. Chemical reactions: the law of the action of masses and Le Chatelier principle, influence of experimental parameters on the chemical constants. Reactions in aqueous solutions. Autoprotonation of water and the pH, acid-base concepts, strong and weak acids and bases (classification and their strength, the structure of most important acids containing N, P, S and halogen elements), hydrolysis, buffer solutions. Products of solubility: definition and applications. Electrochemistry: standard potentials and Nernst's equation, galvanic and electrolytic cells, corrosion. Descriptive Chemistry: metals, semimetals and non-metals. Principal properties of these groups. Stoichiometry exercises related to these issues.

Knowledge and understanding: theoretical and operational knowledge about the fundamental laws of chemistry (moles, reactions, bonds and molecular structure, states of matter, solutions, equilibrium, pH, thermodynamics, kinetics, electrochemistry); acquisition of a vocabulary of chemical terms to be able to expose chemical-scientific topics in a precise, concise and clear manner.

Applying knowledge and understanding: ability to apply the theory to assign of the names of the most common inorganic chemical compounds, to balance a chemical reaction, to perform stoichiometric calculations, to solve numerical problems with gases, solutions, and acid or basic substances, and electrochemistry; ability to correlate the chemical structure with the physical properties and reactivity of the compounds.

Making judgments: ability to interpret and rationalize chemical reactions from a critical and non-mnemonic point of view, using a scientific methodological approach to be applied to subsequent studies in other fields of chemistry and biology.

Communication skills: ability to use a suitable scientific language during the learning control in the classroom.