Wendy Keeney-Kennicutt
Student Learning Objectives
Chemistry 102
Task 1A: Major Course Objectives
By the end of the course students should be able to…

Calculate solution concentrations in M,m,%by mass

Explain colligative properties and calculate BP elevation, FP depression, osmotic pressure for solutions of electrolytes and nonelectrolytes

Relate enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs Free Energy to reaction sponteneity qualitatively and quantitatively

Explain conditions affecting rates of reaction

Derive rate equation, rate constant and reaction order from experimental data

Relate how collision theory and transition state theory explain reaction rates

Summarize how reaction mechanisms and rate laws are interrelated

Explain the nature and characteristics of chemical equilibria

Compare K and Q

Quantitatively use K in chemical equilibrium studies

Use the Bronsted Lowry theory of acids and bases

Apply the principles of equilibria to acids and bases

Describe how the common ion effect applies to buffer systems

Understand how pH is controlled by buffers

Calculate pH during an acid/base titration

Apply equilibrium concepts to the solubility of slightly soluble compounds

Balance redox equations

Explain and contrast the differences between voltaic and electrolytic cells.

Use the Electromotive Series effectively
 Use Faraday’s Law for electrolytic cell calculations
Task 1B: Course Sub-Objectives
The student……
Chapter 14: Solutions

Can define solution and give examples
 Can describe and illustrate the concept of “like dissolves like”

Can compare the solubilities of salts by looking at charges on ions

Can define and calculate concentrations of solutions using molarity, molality, percent by mass using mass and density.
 Can define “colligative property” and give examples

Can distinguish a colligative property from other kinds of physical properties

Can calculate the initial boiling and freezing points of solutions

Can use BP elevation and FP depression to calculate molecular weight

Can predict which solutes will produce solutions with lower freezing points or higher boiling points using the ideal van’t Hoff factor

Can explain osmotic pressure


Can calculate osmotic pressure of solutions
Chapter 19: Principles of Reactivity: Entropy and Free Energy
 Can describe how Hess’ Law is used to determine enthalpy change

Can differentiate between exothermic and endothermic reactions

Can state the three laws of thermodynamics

Can calculate enthalpy change for physical and chemical processes from tabulated data

Can recall the meaning of sign conventions for enthapy, entropy and Gibbs free energy.

Can articulate and give examples of the meaning of standard molar enthalpy of formation.

Can recall identity of elements in their standard states

Can use change in enthapy value to calculate heat or mass.

Can give examples of state functions, knowing that work (w) and heat (q) are not state functions.

Can classify reactions as product-favored or reactant favored.
 Can describe the meaning of entropy using microstates and “disorder”

Can predict reactions as increasing in entropy (+) or decreasing in entropy (-) without calculation
 Can calculate ∆S from tabulated data
 Can apply ∆S universe
=∆S system
+ ∆S surroundings
 Can determine if a reaction is spontaneous from ∆S universe

Can define and calculate changes in Gibbs Free Energy from tabulated data

Can discuss the connection between ∆G and spontaneity of reactions

Can manipulate the Gibbs-Helmholtz equation to calculate ∆G, ∆S, ∆H or T eq
.
 Can summarize the relationships between sponteneity and the signs of ∆G, ∆S, ∆H
Chapter 15: Chemical Kinetics

Can explain that thermodynamics cannot be used to determine how fast reactions proceed
 Can define what is meant by “rate of reaction”

Can express the rate law expression for a reaction in terms of -∆reactant/∆time or +∆product/∆time

Can construct a plot of concentration vs. time of reactants and products using stoichiometric coefficients.

Can list the 4 factors that affect reaction rate.

Can give examples of how the chemical and physical nature of reactants affect reaction rates.

Can generate a general rate law expression for a given reaction, using k (rate constant) and x, y (orders of reaction w/r to reactants).

Can deduce a specific rate law expression and rate constant using experimental data

Can generate the appropriate units of a specific rate constant from the overall order of the reaction

Can explain in words and give the formula how half-life and rate constant are related

Can manipulate first order rate equations to solve for rate constant, initial amount, amount at time t, fraction of amount remaining or reacted, and time.

Can discuss how collision theory and transition state theory relate to reaction rate

Can illustrate an effective collision for a particular one-step reaction

Can descriminate between potential energy diagrams for exothermic and endothermic reactions

Can draw an appropriate PE diagram given ∆E or ∆H, activation energies for forward or reverse reactions and label axes

Can describe how reaction mechanism with the rate-determining (slow) step relates to a rate-law expression

Can deduce a rate law expression from a possible mechanism when the first step or the second step is the rate-determining step.

Can identify a catalyst and/or intermediates in a mechanism.

 Can explain how temperature affects reaction rate, activation energy (it doesn’t), potential energy diagram
(it doesn’t), and rate constant, using collision theory.

Can calculate k
2
/k
1
, activation energy, temperature using the Arrhenius equation.
 Can explain how a “catalyst” affects reaction rates by lowering the activation energy in a potential energy diagram.

Can distinguish between a homogeneous and a heterogeneous catalyst
Chapter 16: Chemical Equilibrium

Can describe equilibrium as reversible reactions

Can sketch a graph of concentration vs. time for reactions with stoichiometric coefficients that are product favored and reactant favored, starting with only products or only reactants

Can derive the equilibrium expression from forward and reverse rate constants

Can determine the equilibrium expression for a homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibrium reaction, knowing that pure solids and liquids have activities (= concentration for dilute solutions) = 1.

Can explain that the equilibrium constant is a thermodynamic quantity, dependent only on T and has no units since it actually is a function of activity, not concentration.

Can explain how changing coefficients of a reaction or flipping the reaction affects the value of K and can calculate the new K

Can discuss how the magnitude of K is a measure of the extent of the reaction

Can calculate K from concentration data and calculate concentration data from K, using perfect squares and the quadratic equation

Can explain the relationship between Q and K.

Can determine if a reaction is at equilibrium by calculating Q, the reaction quotient
 Can explain Le Chatelier’s principle.

Can employ Le Chatelier’s Principle to predict qualitatively which direction a reaction will shift when changes in P, T, concentration, adding a catalyst, V occur

Can calculate the final concentration of a reactant or product after the system not at equilibrium reaches equilibrium

Can generate different versions of equilibrium constants: K c
, K p
and K thermo

Can explain qualitatively and quantitatively the relationship between K thermo
and ∆G

Can draw a particle view of a system at equilibrium

Can interpret a particle view of a reaction to know if it is at equilibrium or not
Chapter 17: The chemistry of Acids and Bases

Can classify compounds as strong acids, weak acids, strong bases, weak bases and salts

Can recall nomenclature for same.

Can calculate ion concentrations for strong electrolytes

Can describe the ionization of water using K w
=1 x 10 -14 only at 25 o C

Can explain the pH scale and its relationship to H + and OH -

Can calculate [H + ], [OH ], pH and pOH using K w
for strong acids and strong bases

Can distinguish between Arrhenius acids/bases and Bronsted-Lowry acids/bases

Can identify conjugate acid-base pairs

Can rank strengths of acids/bases and their conjugates

Can manipulate weak acid and weak base equilibrium expressions to calculate Ka or Kb, pH or pOH, concentration, % ionization information
 Can justify when the “5% rule” approximation is appropriate.

Can explain qualitatively and quantitatively how weak acid indicators work.


Can calculate the color of an indicator at a certain pH given the Ka of the indicator.

Can recognize which ions are acids and which are bases.

Can calculate the Ka for a cation and the Kb for an anion

Can rank cations in order of acid strength and rank anions in order of base strength

Can identify the parent acid and the parent base of a salt.

Can explain hydrolysis and write the hydrolysis equilibrium for any anion or cation

Can determine the [H + ], [OH ], pH, pOH, and % hydrolysis and other concentration information for a salt solution when the salt is made from strong acid/strong base, weak acid/strong base, or strong acid/weak base.

Can predict the pH of a salt solution

Can draw a particle view of a weak acid or weak base solution
Chapter 18: Principles of Reactivity: Other Aspects of Aqueous Equilibria

Can explain the common ion effect in regards to buffers

Can identify a buffer solution

Can calculate pH, concentration information, ratio of weak acid/base to salt for buffers using equilibrium or
Henderson-Hasselbach equation

Can show how adding strong acid or base to a buffer will change the pH

Can calculate the new pH when a little strong acid or strong base is added to a buffer

Can propose how to create a buffer either by mixing an acid or base with a salt containing its conjugate base or acid or by adding a little strong base or acid to a weak acid or base.

Can apply the fact that an acid-base titration is a series of limiting reactant problems

Can distinguish between the endpoint and the equivalence point of a titration

Can distinguish between and sketch the titration curve between a strong acid and strong base, weak acid and strong base, strong acid and weak base.

Can calculate every point (where the 5% rule holds) in an acid-base titration between a strong acid and strong base, weak acid and strong base, strong acid and weak base

Can estimate the pH at the equivalence point of in an acid-base titration between a strong acid and strong base, weak acid and strong base, strong acid and weak base

Can decide on an appropriate indicator for an acid-base titration between a strong acid and strong base, weak acid and strong base, strong acid and weak base
 Can explain that “insoluble” substances are slightly soluble and are involved in equilibrium

Can determine the expression for the solubility product for a slightly soluble substance

Can calculate Ksp from solubility data and vice versa

Can calculate molar solubility

Can express Ksp as a function of molar solubility

Can determine qualitatively and quantitatively the effects of a common ion on solubility

Can predict precipitation from concentration data using Qsp

Can calculate the ion concentration required to initiate precipitation from a solution of ions
Chapter 20: Electrochemistry

Can define oxidation, reduction, oxidizing and reducing agent

Can determine oxidation numbers for compounds and ions

Can balance redox reactions in acidic and basic solutions

Can explain that electrochemical reactions involve transfer of electrons

Can distinguish between metallic and ionic conduction

Can define anode, cathode, inert electrode


Can contrast an electrolytic cell with a voltaic cell (∆G, sponteneity, use/produce energy)

Can draw electrochemical cells from observations (half-reactions, cell reaction, anode/cathode, electron flow direction, charge on electrodes, requires battery, elecrode mass increases/decreases, ion concentration increases/decreases)
 Can apply Faraday’s Law to electrolysis using coulombs and faradays, solving for % efficiency, time, mass, charge)

Can describe the 3 main uses of a salt bridge

Can define a standard voltaic cell

Can write the shorthand notation for a voltaic cell or draw a voltaic cell from the shorthand notation

Can explain the importance of the standard hydrogen electrode

Can determine the standard cell potential, oxidizing agent, reducing agent from the Electromotive Series

Can rank the strengths of oxidizing/reducing agents from the Electromotive Series

Can use the Nernst Equation to determine cell potential for non-standard cells
 Can explain the interrelationship between K, ∆G o and E o in terms of sponteneity.
 Can calculate K, ∆G o or E o

Can determine if a redox reaction is spontaneous by determining E o
Task 1C: Possible typical instructional difficulties that I predict may occur:
 The inability of many students to see Le Chatelier’s principle at work (particle view vs. equation vs. macro view vs. calculations)

The difficulty of working with heterogeneous equilibria – slightly soluble compounds (particle view vs. equation vs. macro view vs. calculations)

The acid/base/buffer/salt dilemma – all calculations look similar but are handled differently.
Task 1D: Real-World Contexts

Buffering blood, seawater

Industry – Haber process (making ammonia)

Tests for safe drinking water involve precipitation reactions and slightly soluble compounds.