Radnor High School
Course Syllabus
Advanced Chemistry
332
I. Course Description
Advanced Chemistry 322
1.0 Credit; Unweighted
Length: Year; Format: Meets Daily
Prerequisite: Advanced Biology
Co-requisites: Algebra 2 or Advanced Algebra 2
Advanced Chemistry is a college-preparatory course that prepares students
for further study in science at the college level. Advanced chemistry covers the
traditional first year topics of chemistry including the structure of the atom,
the formation of compounds, the periodic table, stoichiometry, the gas laws,
thermochemistry, reaction kinetics, thermodynamics, periodic properties, and
acids and bases. Some level of independent work is required.
II. Materials & Equipment

Textbook: Wilbraham, Staley, Matta, and Waterman. “Chemistry.”
Addison-Wesley: 2002.

Scientific calculator

Three-ring binder
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. Predict the behavior of gases through the application of laws.
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IV. Course Topics (Summary Outline)
1. Introduction to Chemistry
a. What is chemistry?
b. “People Who Took Chemistry”
c. Areas of chemistry
d. Uses / fields of chemistry
e. Laws vs. theories
f. Using your textbook*
2. Matter and change
a. Properties of matter
b. States of matter
c. Physical vs. chemical changes
d. Mixtures: homogeneous vs. heterogeneous
e. Pure substances: elements vs. compounds
f. Physical separation of mixtures
g. Chemical separation of compounds
h. Symbols and formulas
i. Changing reactants into products
j. Conservation of matter
3. Scientific measurement
a. Qualitative vs. quantitative measurement
b. Scientific measurement
c. Using a scientific calculator
d. Accuracy vs. precision
e. Error calculation
f. Significant figures / uncertainty in measurement
g. Significant figures and uncertainty in calculations
h. International units of measurement
i. Density vs. specific gravity
j. Temperature: Celsius vs. Kelvin scales / conversions
4. Problem solving in chemistry
a. Traditional methods of solving problems
b. Conversion factors
c. Unit dimensional analysis
5. Atomic structure and the periodic table
a. Dalton’s theory
b. J.J. Thomson model and the electron
c. Protons and neutrons
d. Rutherford’s nuclear atomic model
e. Atomic number vs. mass number
f. Isotopes
g. Average atomic mass in amu
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h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
Mendeleev’s periodic table
The modern periodic table
Metals vs. nonmetals vs. metalloids
Representative vs. transition elements
Representative element families
6. Nuclear chemistry
a. Radioactivity
b. Types of radiation
c. Nuclear stability and decay
d. Half-life
e. Transmutation reactions
f. Nuclear fission
g. Fission power plants
h. Nuclear waste
i. Nuclear fusion
7. Electrons in atoms
a. Niels Bohr atomic model
b. Quantum Mechanical model
c. Atomic orbitals
d. Pauli exclusion principle
e. Hund’s Rule
f. Electron configurations
g. 3-dimensional orbital diagrams
h. Diagonal rule
i. Energy level (Aufbau) diagrams
j. Exceptional electron configurations
k. Light and atomic emission spectra
l. Wave equation (frequency vs. wavelength)
m. Planck equation (energy vs. frequency)
n. Explanation of atomic spectra
8. Chemical Periodicity
a. Using the periodic table to write electron configurations
b. Rationale for periodic trends (n-level vs. proton/electron ratio,
shielding effect)
c. Atomic size trends
d. Ionic size trends
e. Ionization energy trends
f. First vs. second vs. third …ionization energies
g. Electronegativity trends
9. Chemical names and formulas
a. Molecules and molecular compounds
b. Ions and ionic compounds
c. Chemical formulas
d. Molecular formulas
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e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
l.
Formula units
Monatomic vs. polyatomic ions
Writing formulas for binary ionic compounds
Writing formulas for ternary ionic compounds
Naming binary ionic compounds
Naming ternary ionic compounds
Naming binary molecular compounds
Naming acids
10. Ionic bonding and ionic compounds
a. Valence electrons
b. Electron (Lewis) dot structures
c. Structural formulas
d. Electron configurations for ions
e. Formation of ionic compounds
f. Properties of ionic compounds
g. Ionic crystal structures
h. Melting of ionic crystals
i. Metallic bonds and ionic properties
j. Crystalline structure of metals
k. Alloys of metals
11. Covalent bonding
a. Single covalent bonds
b. Double and triple covalent bonds
c. Coordinate covalent bonds
d. VSEPR Theory
e. Bond type vs. electronegativity differences
f. Bond dipoles
g. Molecular dipoles
h. Molecular polarity
i. Polarity and intermolecular forces (IMA’s)
12. Chemical quantities
a. Representative particles
b. Representative particles in a mole
c. Molar mass
d. Molar volume
e. Using dimensional analysis to solve mole conversion problems
f. Calculating percent composition of a compound
g. Empirical vs. molecular formulas
13. Chemical Reactions
a. Word equations
b. Chemical equations
c. Balancing chemical equations
d. Types of chemical reactions
i. Combination
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ii. Decomposition
iii. Single-replacement
iv. Double-replacement
v. Combustion
e. Predicting reaction products
14. Stoichiometry
a. Interpreting chemical equations (moles, particles, volumes)
b. Mole – mole calculations
c. Mass – mole calculations
d. Other stoichiometric calculations
e. Limiting reagents vs. reagents in excess
f. Limiting reagent calculations
g. Percent yield calculations
15. States of Matter
a. Kinetic Theory
b. Kinetic energy and Kelvin temperature
c. Gas pressure
d. Kinetic energy distribution curves
e. Liquids
f. Evaporation and vapor pressure
g. Boiling point vs. vapor pressure
h. Solids
i. Crystal structure and unit cells
j. Phase diagrams
k. Sublimation
16.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
k.
17.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Thermochemistry
Energy transformations
Exothermic vs. endothermic processes
Heat capacity and specific heat
Calorimeters and calorimetry calculations
Thermochemical equations
Using dimensional analysis to solve thermochemical equation
calculations.
Enthalpy vs. change in enthalpy
Heats of fusion and solidification
Heats of vaporization and condensation
Heat of solution
Standard heats of formation calculations
Gas Behavior
Gas variables and standard units of measurement
Boyle’s Law
Charles’ Law
Gay-Lussac’s Law
Combined gas laws
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f.
g.
h.
i.
j.
Ideal Gas Law
Using dimensional analysis to solve gas law problems
Avogadro’s Hypothesis
Dalton’s Law of Partial Pressures
Graham’s Law of Effusion
18.
a.
b.
c.
d.
Water and aqueous systems
Water’s polarity and hydrogen bonding
Surface tension in water
Specific heat capacity of water
Solutes, solvents and solutions in water
19.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Solutions
Solution formation
Solubility
Factors affecting solubility
Henry’s Law
Molarity calculations
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
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