Radnor High School
Course Syllabus
Academic Chemistry
334
I. Course Description
Chemistry 334
1.0 Credit; Unweighted
Length: Year; Format: Meets Daily
Prerequisite: Biology or Teacher Recommendation
Co-requisite: Geometry
In Chemistry students study the basic structures and properties of matter.
Although some Algebra is used in the class, the heaviest emphasis is placed on
a conceptual understanding. Lab work acquaints students with basic
chemistry lab techniques and reinforces the concepts covered in class.
Whenever possible, chemistry is related to students’ everyday lives.
II. Materials & Equipment

Textbook: Wistrom, Phillips, and Strozak. “Chemistry: Concepts and
Applications.” Glencoe/McGraw-Hill. 2002.

Scientific calculator

Three-ring binder

Spiral Notebook
III. Course Goals & Objectives
The student will be able to:
1. Explain that matter is made of particles called atoms and that atoms
are composed of even smaller particles.
2. Explain the relationship between the physical properties of a substance
and its molecular or atomic structure.
3. Explain the formation of compounds and their resulting properties
using bonding theories.
4. Explain how the relationships of chemical properties are represented in
the repeating pattern of the periodic table of elements.
5. Explain the relationship between acids and bases and their practical
uses.
6. Draw and name organic structures and understand their properties.
IV. Course Topics (Summary Outline)
1. Introduction to Chemistry
a. What is chemistry?
b. Areas of chemistry
c. Uses / fields of chemistry
d. Laws vs. theories
e. Scientific Method
f. Using your textbook
2. Matter and change
a. Properties of matter
b. States of matter
c. Physical vs. chemical properties
d. Physical vs. chemical changes
e. Mixtures: homogeneous vs. heterogeneous
f. Pure substances: elements vs. compounds
g. Physical separation of mixtures
h. Chemical separation of compounds
i. Symbols and formulas
j. Changing reactants into products
k. Conservation of matter
l. Exothermic vs. Endothermic processes
3. Scientific measurement and Problem Solving in Chemistry
a. Qualitative vs. quantitative measurement
b. Scientific measurement
c. Using a scientific calculator
d. Significant figures
e. International units of measurement
f. Density
g. Temperature: Celsius vs. Kelvin scales / conversions
h. Conversion factors
i. Unit dimensional analysis
4. Atomic structure and parts of the periodic table
a. Dalton’s theory
b. J.J. Thomson model and the electron
c. Rutherford’s nuclear atomic model (protons)
d. Discovery of the neutron
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
Atomic number vs. mass number
Isotopes
Metals vs. nonmetals vs. metalloids
Representative vs. transition elements
Representative element families
5. Electrons in atoms
a. Electromagnetic spectrum
b. Light and atomic emission spectra
c. Wave equation (frequency vs. wavelength)
d. Planck equation (energy vs. frequency)
e. Niels Bohr atomic model
f. Theories leading up to the Quantum Model
g. Quantum Mechanical model
h. Atomic orbitals
i. Energy level (Aufbau) diagrams
j. Pauli exclusion principle
k. Hund’s Rule
l. Electron configurations
m. Electron configuration chart (diagonal rule)
n. 3-dimensional orbital diagrams
o. Exceptional electron configurations
p. Explanation of atomic spectra
6. The Periodic Table and Chemical Periodicity
a. Mendeleev’s periodic table
b. Theories leading up to the Modern Periodic table
c. The modern periodic table
d. Using the periodic table to write electron configurations
e. Rationale for periodic trends
f. Atomic size trends
g. Ionic size trends
h. Ionization energy trends
i. First vs. second vs. third …ionization energies
j. Electronegativity trends
7. Chemical names and formulas
a. Molecules and molecular compounds
b. Ions and ionic compounds
c. Chemical formulas
d. Molecular formulas
e. Binary vs. polyatomic ions
f. Writing formulas for binary ionic compounds
g. Writing formulas for ternary ionic compounds
h. Naming binary ionic compounds
i. Naming ternary ionic compounds
j. Naming binary molecular compounds
k. Naming acids
8. Ionic
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
bonding and ionic compounds
Valence electrons
Electron (Lewis) dot structures
Structural formulas
Electron configurations for ions
Formation of ionic compounds
Properties of ionic compounds
Metallic bonds and ionic properties
Alloys of metals
9. Covalent bonding
a. Single covalent bonds
b. Double and triple covalent bonds
c. Bond type vs. electronegativity differences
f. Polarity and intermolecular forces
10. Chemical Reactions
a. Word equations
b. Chemical equations
c. Balancing chemical equations
d. Types of chemical reactions
1. Synthesis
2. Decomposition
3. Single-replacement
4. Double-replacement
5. Combustion
e. Predicting reaction products
11.
Water and aqueous systems
a. Water’s polarity and hydrogen bonding
b. Surface tension in water
c. Specific heat capacity of water
d. Solutes, solvents and solutions in water
12. Acids and Bases
a. Properties of Acids and Bases
b. Acid / Base Theories
c. pH scale and indicators
d. Uses of acids and bases
13. Organic Chemistry
a. Definition of Organic Chemistry
b. Functional Groups
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Prefixes and Suffixes to organic chemicals
Naming and drawing organic molecules
Practical uses of organic chemicals
Allotropes
Polymers
14. Nuclear chemistry
a. Radioactivity
b. Types of radiation
c. Nuclear stability and decay
d. Half-life
e. Nuclear fission
f. Fission power plants
g. Nuclear waste
h. Nuclear fusion
V. Assignments & Grading

Homework Assignments for every chapter (approximately 30 minutes per
night)

Lab reports for each lab completed

Chapter Tests

Common Midterm Exam

Common Final Exam