General and Inorganic Chemistry

A.Y. 2023/2024
6
Max ECTS
60
Overall hours
SSD
CHIM/03
Language
Italian
Learning objectives
The objective of this course is to give students the basic concepts for understanding the structure and properties of Matter and the way elements and compounds combines to yield new compounds. In particular I propose two units:
Unit 1 - knowledge about atomic structure, chemical bonding, chemical reactions using balanced chemical equations, quantitative study of reactants and products with mole method and limiting reagent.
Unit 2 - Knowledge about aqueous solutions: weak acid and weak bases and their ionization constants, buffer solutions, acid-base titrations, salt hydrolysis and redox reactions.
Expected learning outcomes
Students will acquire the language and basic knowledge necessary to their training. The course provides the students with an important background to understand the molecular basis of their following studies.
Unit 1 - Students would be able to name substances using IUPAC nomenclature, to draw molecular structures and to determine the molecular geometry of inorganic compounds, to balance chemical equations and to calculate the yield of processes by mole method.
Unit 2 - Students would be able to calculate the pH of different aqueous solution. Students would be able to balance redox reactions using the half-reaction method and to calculate the voltage in a galvanic cell using Nerst equation.
Single course

This course can be attended as a single course.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Lesson period
First semester
In case of a new emergency phase, the instructions regarding teaching proposed by the dean's decree will be followed.
Course syllabus
Inorganic compounds nomenclature; oxides, anhydrides, hydroxides, salts, hydrides, oxyacids. The atom structure and properties. Periodic table: properties
Electronic configurations, Structure of inorganic compounds, hybridization and molecular geometries. Intramolecular chemical bonds: covalent bonds, dative bond and ionic bond.
Intermolecular bonds: Van der Wals, London and hydrogen bond
Mole and Avogadro number
Chemical reactions: balance, stoichiometric calculations, limiting reagent
Aqueous solutions: molarity of a solution, dilutions
Chemical equilibrium - Le Chatelier principle - calculation of the constant by means of equilibrium concentrations (Kc). Strong acids-strong bases, weak acids-weak bases
The ionic product of the water-pH scale. PH indicators
Buffer solutions. Hydrolysis reaction. Acid-base titrations
The enthalpy and the spontaneity of a process
Oxidation states and oxidation-reduction reactions: balancing of equations with the half-reactions method.
Redox potentials. Nernst equation and galvanic cells
The general chemistry course also includes the attendance of three compulsory half-days of laboratory sessions in which experiments relating to some parts of the program will be carried out
Prerequisites for admission
Being a basic course, there are no prerequisites other than the knowledge acquired during high school.
Teaching methods
Lectures, exercises and slides projection in classroom and the use of the Kahoot program on tablets or smartphones. Before each ongoing test, a simulation will be performed in the classroom through the resolution of exercises by the teacher. Mandatory educational laboratory
Teaching Resources
Text book: Lezioni di Chimica di Alessia Colombo, EdiSES. Notes from lessons, textes and solutions of exam texts are available at http://ariel.unimi.it.
Alternatively we recommend the use of any other general chemistry text as long as it is university
Assessment methods and Criteria
During the General and Inorganic Chemistry course, two written tests are scheduled; the first will take place halfway through the course, the second, the first week after the end of the course. Only students who have passed the first test with a mark greater than or equal to 18 can access the second test. To pass the exam, both tests must be sufficient, i.e. each passed with a mark greater than or equal to 18. The final mark will consist of the mathematics average of the two marks obtained in each ongoing test. Oral interview is not carried out. The ongoing tests are not mandatory and require registration. The typology of exam tasks consists of a variable number of exercises according to the examples shown during the classroom exercises. The score attributed to each exercise will be indicated in the exam text. For those who do not pass the ongoing tests and for those who decide a priori not to participate, the exam will consist of a single written test on the dates set within each exam session. The single test will consist of a variable number of exercises on the entire program.In each exam there will also be questions relating to the experiments.
carried out in the laboratory. The votes will be published on Ariel and recorded on Unimia.
CHIM/03 - GENERAL AND INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - University credits: 6
Laboratories: 24 hours
Lessons: 36 hours