Degree in Environmental and Natural Sciences
Discipline: General and Inorganic Chemistry
Academic Year 2009/2010
Professor: Prof. Franco Calascibetta, Chemistry Department, “Vincenzo Caglioti” Building, Fifth floor,
Room 2/B, tel 0649913339, e-mail franco.calascibetta@uniroma1.it
Target students: three-year degree, first year, first semester
Level: introductive, fundamental
Pre-qualifications: basic knowledge of mathematics and physics
Credits: 6CFU
Contents
Introduction; aggregation states of the matter; elements and atoms; compounds and molecules; physical
and chemical transformations; naming inorganic compounds.
The atom structure; atomic number, mass number, isotopes; the periodic table of the elements and their
chemical properties; the compounds; molecular mass; the concept of mole.
Simple chemical reactions (combustions) and their balancing; weigth percent composition; determination
of the minimal formula of a compound; minimal and molecular formula of a compound; molecules in the
space (the concept of structural formula).
From the weight percent composition to the minimal formula of a compound; from the minimal formula
to the molecular formula of a compound through its molecular mass.
The electrons in the atom; Bohr and the quantum theory; the probabilistic model; quantum numbers and
atomic orbitals.
Ideal construction (aufbau) of the atoms; esternal electronic structure of the elements and their periodic
properties (first ionization energy; electronaffinity; atomic radius; metallic properties).
Aufbau of selected atoms with low atomic number (1≤z≤21).
The chemical bond; valence shell electrons and the octet rule; Lewis notation for the elements; hydrogen
molecule; omeopolar and eteropolar covalent bond; element's electronegativity; ionic and metallic bond.
Sigma (σ) and pi-greek (π) covalent bond; the bond in the space and the molecular geometry; the theory
of the Valence Shell Electron Pair Repulsion (VSEPR); the shape of the molecules; hybrid orbitals.
Molecular geometry and polarity; intermolecular forces.
Balancing of non-redox chemical reactions; stoichiometric calculi; defect reagent.
The concept of oxidation number; redox reactions; spontaneity of a redox reaction; relative strengths of
oxidizing and reducing agents.
Balancing of redox reactions (with stoichiometric calculi).
Aggregation states of the matter: the gas state; the ideal gas law and its use; mole fraction and partial
pressures; real gases; PV vs P diagram for ideal gas and real gases; the Van der Waals equation.
Aggregation states of the matter: the solid state; different kind of solids and their main characteristics;
allotropes of carbon.
Aggregation states of the matter: the liquid state. Vapour pressure and its variation with temperature;
kinetic-molecular theory; distribution curves of the kinetic energy; heat and state transitions; the heating
curve at constant pressure for a pure substance;phase diagrams of pure species (H2O e CO2); the ClausiusClapeyron equation.
The solutions and their properties; unit of measure of the concentration; conversion among the different
unit of measure of the concentration; colligative properties of solutions; analytic and particellar
concentration of a solution; electrolytic solutions and their electrical conduction (outline); the
determination of the molecular mass of solutes; limit of validity of the laws describing the properties of
the solutions; cooling diagram of a pure liquid and of a solution.
Homogeneous chemical equilibria; reaction quotient and equilibrium constant; Le Chatelier principle; the
different ways of expressing the equilibrium constant; temperature and equilibrium constant (the Van't
Hoff equation).
Chemical equilibria: numerical applications.
The chemical equilibria in solution; proton transfer reactions and the acid-base equilibria; the equilibrium
constants for the proton transfer reactions; structural and reactivity correlation for the chemical behaviour
of acids and bases; Lewis acids and bases.
The pH of acqueous solutions; buffer solutions; acid-base titrations.
The chemical equilibria in solution: numerical applications.
Outline of electrochemistry; the potentiometric measure of the pH.
Aim of the Course and Learning Outcome
The aim of the General and Inorganic Chemistry course is to offer a panoramic view of the chemistry and on the reactivity of both the
elements and the compounds. The different subjects will be at the beginning treated at very basic level thereafter improved also with the help
of numerical exercises. Starting from the first notions on the nomenclature of the different classes of inorganic compounds and passing
through the electronic structure of the atoms, the students will receive the fundamental criteria to build up the molecules. By evaluating the
chemical bond nature which hold the atoms in the compounds and the molecular geometry, their macroscopic properties will be deduced.
Such properties are at the basis of the macroscopic behaviour of the chemical systems: great care will be paid to the aggregation state in
which the different compounds are present at ambient temperature and pressure as well as on their solubility in the different solvent media. A
great part of the course will deal with the world of the solutions since the target students will apply the acquired chemistry knowledge to the
biological-environmental sciences. For the same reasons, the due attention will be dedicated to the chemical equilibrium concept.
Beyond the different arguments treated, the aim of this course is to invite the students on reasoning on a generic scientific problem, with the
hope of teaching them a method of general applicability in order to get the desired solution.
The students, at the end of the General and Inorganic Chemistry course, will obtain the following learning outcomes:
1. they will have the right knowledge of the principles of chemistry and of the reactivity of the main elements and inorganic compounds;
2. they will be able to relate the changes observable in the macroscopic world with their causes, not observable, at microscopic, atomic or
molecular, level;
3. they will be conscious that chemistry is a topic which penetrates and integrates a great number of sciences, such as biology, geology,
environmental sciences, physics, and so on. These students, therefore, will handle the basic tools of chemistry (the periodic table of the
elements and all its implications, as the most sensational example), will have adequate knowledge on the atomic and molecular structure, will
be able to correlate structure and reactivity of the compounds and they will, consequently, have the ability to relate in a rational way the
behaviour of a macroscopic system with its composition at molecular level.
In particular, they will have knowledge of the equilibrium processes and of the laws ruling them, of the reactions in solution (both acid-base
and redox) and they will be to perform the calculations connected with the quantitative aspects of the chemical processes.
CONTENTS
Atomic nature of the
matter; simplified
atomic structure; the
electrons in the atom;
atomic orbitals;
aufbau;the periodic
table; the concept of
mole; molar
Hours
Hours at home
Total hours Profit control
Lessons
7
17
24
Exercises
5
7
13
mass;simple chemical
reactions
(combustions) and their
balancing; weigth
percent composition;
determination of the
minimal formula of a
compound; minimal
and molecular formula
of a compound;
molecules in the space
(the concept of
structural formula)
MOLECULAR
GEOMETRY
the chemical
bonds;molecular
geometry; hybrid
orbitals; the shape of
molecules; polarity;
intermolecular forces
BALANCING OF
REDOX REACTIONS
oxidation numbers,
defect reagent
STATE OF MATTER
gas, liquids, solids and
their main properties;
phase diagrams of pure
species
SOLUTIONS
pure liquids and
solutions; unit of
measure of the
concentration; solution
properties; colligative
properties and their
use; electrolytic
solutions and their
properties;
homogeneous
equilibria; the
equilibrium constant;
acid-base reactions;
structure-acid/base
properties correlations;
pH, buffer solutions;
acid/base titrations; the
measure of pH
Lessons
8
20
28
Lessons
1
4
5
Exercises
Lessons
3
8
15
16
18
32
Exercises
2
6
Lessons
10
40
50
Exercises
6
24
30
Final evaluation
The final evaluation will consist of a written test (numerical exercises on the topics of the course) and
then an oral examination. The ammision to the colloquium is restricted to those who have passed the
written test with a minimum of 18/30. The oral examination never lasts less than 30-45 minutes, and will
deal on the topics of the course.
Recommended books
Any General Chemistry book at universitary level is suitable for the preparation of the oral examination.
However, in case the purchase is necessary, the student is invited to choose one of the following (also
available in english)
Kotz, Treichel, Towsend, Chimica, (IV ed.), EdiSes, Napoli, 2009
M.S. Silberberg , Chimica. La natura molecolare della materia e delle sue trasformazioni, (II ed.)
McGraw-Hill, Milano, 2008.
For the stoichiometry exercises:
Balestrieri, Giomini, Giustini “Fondamenti di Stechiometria” (II ed.), EdiSes, Napoli, 2009