STUDY GUIDE FOR EXAM I
CH 3500: Inorganic Chemistry, Plymouth State University
General Tips:
1. Read the assigned pages from the text and articles listed in the Syllabus.
2. Review the "Suggested Homework" from the syllabus:
• Ch1: Exercises: 2, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 16, 18, 23, 29; Problems: 4, 7
• Ch2: Exercises 4, 6, 7, 10, 12, 14, 15, 18, 20, 23; Problems: 3, 10
• Ch3: Exercises: 2, 5, 7, 9, 13, 17, 18, 22, 23, 27; Problems: 1, 9, 17
• Ch8: Exercises: 1, 4
• Ch4: Exercises: 1, 3, 5, 7, 12, 14, 22, 25, 27, 28, 29, 35; Problems: 5, 7
3. Review the Problem Sets, including the Answer Keys (available on the website).
4. Prepare your 3×5 notecard. Remember that you will be given constants but not equations.
5. Review the overheads in class and make sure you understand the various figures presented.
6. Review the labs we have done, including relevant reactions and calculations. Material
covered in lab is fair game for exams!
Study Concepts Checklist
Chapter 1 and 9
1. Understand that the energy of an electron is the summation of its potential and kinetic
energies. Understand the relationship between energy and radius for an electron orbiting a
nucleus, including being able to sketch an "E vs r" energy diagram and to use it to explain
how the minimum in the energy curve relates to the average radius.
2. Qualitatively understand the Schrödinger equation, including: 1) how the wavefunction can
be broken into radial and angular components, 2) how the wavefunction describes electrons
as standing, 3-D waves, 3) how it is "all about" energy, and 4) how the spherical
harmonics, which give rise to three of the quantum numbers, are solutions to the equation.
3. Know the four quantum numbers (n, l, ml, and ms). Know what each one describes and
how they are related. Be able to relate specific orbitals and electrons to their quantum
numbers. Know the values of l that correlate to the s, p, d, f, etc subshells.
4. Understand radial and angular nodes. Understand the relationship between energy and
nodes. Be able to determine the number of nodes in an orbital given n and l.
5. Be able to qualitatively sketch the radial distribution vs 'r' for a given orbital.
6. Be able to qualitatively sketch the orbital energy level diagram for a multi-electron atom
from 1s to 5p. Be able to relate this diagram to the structure of the Periodic Table.
7. Understand penetration, shielding, and Zeff. Be able to explain trends in Zeff and predict
which of two elements would have the higher Zeff.
8. Understand the fundamental properties of an atom (Zeff, principle quantum number, average
radius, as well as size, bonding ability, penetration and shielding of orbitals) that contribute
to orbital energies and trends in macro-scale properties. Be able to use fundamental
properties to explain trends in atomic/ ionic size, ionization potential, electron affinity,
atomization, bond enthalpy, electronegativity, hard-soft acid-base character, mineral
occurrence, metallic character, common oxidation states, and preferred coordination
number.
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Chapter 2
1. Be able to draw Lewis dot structures, including finding all resonance structures.
2. Be able to use a Lewis dot structure and VSEPR theory to predict the geometry of a
molecule. Know the names and bond angles and be able to draw the geometries for all
possible shapes up to and including 6-coordinate geometries.
3. Understand Valence Bond Theory, particularly hybridization. Understand how hybrid
orbitals are derived mathematically and be able to draw sp, sp2, and sp3 hybridized orbitals.
Be able to identify specific bonds as σ or π. Be able to explain how single, double, and
triple bonds are constructed and which hybrid orbitals are used to make molecules with
linear, trigonal planar, and tetrahedral shapes. Know the benefits and limitations of
Valence Bond Theory, including some examples of ways that it does not agree with
experimental data.
4. Understand Molecular Orbital Theory, including what a molecular orbital is and how it is
constructed mathematically. Know the difference between bonding, non-bonding, and
anti-bonding orbitals. Understand and be able to apply the concept of "Conservation of
orbitals."
5. Be able to sketch the shapes of molecular orbitals (including bonding, non-bonding, and
anti-bonding) derived from up to 4 atomic orbitals. Understand the importance of the
number of nodes in this process and be able to rank the energies of the resulting molecular
orbitals / SALCs.
6. Understand how symmetry/overlap and similarities in energy of atomic orbitals govern the
energies of molecular orbitals. Understand the "conservation of energy" concept as applied
to constructing Molecular Orbital energy diagrams.
7. Be able to construct Molecular Orbital energy diagrams for diatomic molecules and
SALCs involving up to 4 orbitals.
8. Be able to identify the rotational and inversion symmetry of linear molecular orbitals,
including σ, π, δ, g, and u. Be able to identify a set of non-linear SALCs as having either a,
e, or t symmetry.
9. Using a Molecular Orbital energy diagram, be able to determine the bonding order of a
molecule, give the ground state electron configuration, and determine whether the
molecule is diamagnetic or paramagnetic.
10. Be able to explain how Molecular Orbital theory accounts for the experimental data that do
not agree with Valence Bond Theory.
11. Given a Walsh diagram, be able to predict/explain the geometry of a molecule.
12. Understand electronegativity, especially as defined by Pauling.
13. Given electronegativities, be able to use a Ketelaar triangle to predict the nature of bonding
in a compound made of two atoms.
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Chapter 3 & 8
1. Understand the concepts of lattices and unit cells.
2. Know the 7 Crystal Systems, including the relationships between a, b, c, α, β, and γ in each
3. Be able to identify and draw body- and face-centered unit cells.
4. Be able to count the number of atoms in a unit cell given their locations.
5. Be able to interpret and draw 3-D unit cells and 2-D projections thereof.
6. Be able to identify rotational and mirror symmetries in unit cells.
7. Know the two common motifs in close-packed systems (ccp and hcp). Be able to draw
unit cells (2-D projections) of each. Be able to identify tetrahedral and octahedral holes in
these systems.
8. Be able to calculate the packing fraction and void volume in a cubic system.
9. Understand the term polymorphism and give an explanation for why it often occurs as a
result of changing temperature.
10. Know the term "alloy" and the differences between subtitutional, interstitial, and
intermetallic (zintyl phase) alloys.
11. Be familiar with the various common ionic structures. You do NOT have to know specific
names and structures, but you should be able to explain how a given structure type can
attain the necessary stoichiometry by employing all or some of the tetrahedral or
octahedral holes. Be able to determine the coordination number of anions and cations in a
given structure type.
12. Understand ionic radii, including trends, how they are measured, why it is difficult to
assign values for radii, and how radii change with charge and coordination.
13. Be able to use the radius ratio and structure maps to predict / explain why an ion pair
would adopt a given structure type.
14. Understand X-ray diffraction, including Bragg's law and the relationship between the
number of observable reflections and 1) symmetry, 2) unit cell size, 3) value of λ, and 4)
the number of atoms in a unit cell.
15. Be able to identify a planes of atom by its Miller indices.
16. Be able to determine both the "theoretical" and "experimental" values for lattice enthalpy
using the Born-Mayer equation, Kapustinski equation, and Born-Haber cycle.
17. Understand what is meant by the term "Madelung constant."
18. Understand the nature of bonding in metallic conductors, semi-conductors, and insulators.
Know and be able to apply the terms "band gap" and "density of states."
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Chapter 4
1. Understand the terms "Lewis Acid," "Lewis Base", and "Lewis Acid-Base Adduct." Be
able to identify a given chemical species as one of these.
2. Be able to draw/interpret a Molecular Orbital energy diagram for a Lewis Acid-Base
adduct.
3. Be able to identify the HOMO and LUMO in an orbital energy diagram.
4. Be able to classify a given Lewis Acid-Base reaction as being a complex formation,
displacement, or metathesis
5. Know the four types of Lewis acids
6. Be familiar with the trends in Lewis acid/base character moving left to right and top to
bottom on the Periodic Table.
7. Understand Hard and Soft Acids and Bases. Given a pair of acids or bases, be able to rank
them in terms of their hardness.
8. Be able to use the concept of Hard and Soft Acids and Bases to predict / explain a reaction.
9. Be able to use a Molecular Orbital energy diagram to justify why the concept of Hard and
Soft Acids and Bases works.
10. Be able to define and identify Brønsted-Lowry acids and bases.
11. Know and be able to identify the four types of Brønsted-Lowry acids
12. Be able to use the Ionic Model, Stabilization Model, and Pauling's rules to explain / predict
the strengths of Brønsted-Lowry acids
13. Understand "Solvent Leveling" as used for determining the strengths of acids and bases
14. Be able to use the strengths of acids and bases to predict / explain reactions
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