General chemistry
General chemistry on the medical faculty includes a broad knowledge about chemical processes
taking place in the surrounding world. Aim of our course is present the role of chemistry in biological
and medical sciences to the extent necessary to continue medical studies. Course of general
chemistry consists of several interesting labs and lectures. On this course you can acquire with
knowledge concerning the structure and properties of particular groups of chemical compounds in
order to be able to describe and explain chemical transformations of the compounds in biological
systems.
Teachers:
Lectures:
1. prof. dr hab. Marcin Dramiński
Tutorials:
1. mgr Aleksandra Karczmarska – Wódzka
2. dr Joanna Kitkowska
3. mgr Żaneta Tabaczyńska
Contact: dr Joanna Kitkowska j.kitkowska@cm.umk.pl, dr Żaneta Tabaczyńska ztabaczynska@wp.pl,
mgr Aleksandra Kaczmarska-Wódzka akar@cm.umk.pl
Syllabus and rules and regulations
I.
Chair and Department of General Chemistry
II.
Head of the Unit: Prof. dr hab. Marcin Dramiński
III.
Faculty of medicine, first year
IV.
Course coordinator: Prof. dr hab. Marcin Dramiński
V.
Form of the classes: tutorials
VI.
Assessment: The form and conditions of crediting the course:
Crediting chemical labs and to pass an exam.
The form and conditions of crediting practical skills / laboratory practice
In order to get your final grade you must:
1. Complete all the practice tasks.
2. Write all tests.
VII.
Subject hours:
Sem. I
lectures: laboratory practice: Sem. I
lectures: 5 hours (5x45 min.); laboratory practice: 25 hours (9x110 min. +
3x45 min.)
VIII. Topics of classes:
Lectures: (45 minutes in the first five of the odd weeks)
1. Chemistry and the universe.
2. The conditions of chemical reactions. Energetics of reaction.
3. Carbon, the simple organic compounds, isomerism.
4. Biomolecules I. Complex organic acids. Fats
5. Biomolecules II. Carbohydrates, amino acids and their derivatives
Practical skills / laboratory practice: (1,2,4,5,6,8,10,11,12 exercises of 110 minutes, 3,7,9
exercises of 45 minutes):
1. Health and safety precautions. Detailed range of laboratory activities. Revision of basic
chemical reactions. (110 min.)
2. Inorganic chemical reactions. The basic positive and negative ions. The reactions of selected
ions. (110 min.)
3. TEST 1 : Types of chemical bonds. Composition of complex compounds. Redox reactions.
Solubility products. Electrolytes solutions (weak, strong). Degree of dissociation, dissociation
constant. Dissociation and hydrolysis reactions. Acid-base theory. Buffer solutions.
Strong/weak acids. Strength in terms of pH. Indicators. Colloids. Osmotic pressure of
solutions. Dialysis. Donnan equilibrium. Nernst division law. Chromatography. Kinetics.
Chemical equilibrium. (45 min.)
4. Quantitative analysis (acid-base titrations, indicators, buffers. The solving of the problems
with calculations of the concentrations. (110 min.)
5. Kinetics. Oxidizing tartrate by hydrogen peroxide in presence of cobalt (II) as a catalyst. The
reaction rate, the factors affecting on the reaction rate. The reaction equilibrium, the Le
Chatelier's rule. (110 min.)
6. Dialysis of Kongo red. Calculation of equilibrium. Theories of the determining of equilibrium
state. (110min.)
7. TEST 2: Reactions of monofunctional compounds. Types of reactions – mechanism of free
radical substitution, heterolytic mechanism, substitution, addition, elimination. Isomerism of
organic compounds. (45 min.)
8. Analysis of organic compounds. Chemical properties of monofunctional organic compounds.
Equilibriums. Naming. (110 min.)
9. TEST 3: Hydroxyacids, ketoacids. Carbohydrates, amino acids, proteins, lipids, isomerism. (45
min.)
10. Lipids. Preparation of soap. Detergents. The detection of cholesterol. (110 min.)
11. Chemical properties of carbohydrates - selected reactions. Structures of simple
carbohydrates in solutions. Complex carbohydrates. (110 min.)
12. Chemical properties of protein amino acids and proteins. Non-protein amino acids. (110
min.)
IX. Delivery dates of reports:
a. The report of the labs must be provided no later than 2 weeks after the classes.
X. General and specific health and safety regulations required for implementation of the
educational process in the unit:
Health and safety regulations are administered on the first classes. Students confirm the
signature acquaint themselves with those rules.
XI. Literature
Medical Library – www.cm.umk.pl
http://site.ebrary.com/lib/cmumkbyd/search.action
 H. Meilich – Organic Chemistry, 1999
 D.Bloch – Organic Chemistry Demystified, 2006
 S.L Hoenig – Basic training in Chemistry, 2001
 L.D. Willams – Chemistry Demystified, 2003
Record of acquired practical skills in general chemistry
Student’s name and surname:
Year of study, group:
Academic year:
Practical skill
Health and safety precautions.
Detailed range of laboratory
activities. Revision of basic
chemical reactions.
Qualitative analysis of
constitutional liquid (elements
occurrence in constitutional
liquid). Macro- and
microelements.
Quantitative analysis (acidbase titrations, buffers,
calculations)
Date of
crediting
Confirmation by
designated
person
Comments
Kinetics. Oxidizing tartrate by
hydrogen peroxide in
presence of cobalt (II) as a
catalyst.
Dialysis of Kongo red. The
determinations of
equilibrium state.
Analysis of organic monofunctional compounds.
Naming. Reactions and
mechanisms.
Lipids, preparation of soap,
properties. Detergents.
Detection of cholesterol.
Carbohydrate. Classification,
nomenclature, basic
reactions, reductive and nonreductive sugar.
Stereochemistry, absolute
configuration of chiral atoms.
Di- and oligosaccharides.
Amino acids. Classification,
properties. Proteins.