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CHEM1111 - Syllabus


Chemistry 1A


The order of topics presented here is essentially the order of presentation in the lecture course, although individual lecturers may make some variations from this. Some topics span more than one week.

Jump to week <1> <2> <3> <4> <5> <6> <7> <8> <9> <10> <11> <12> <13>


Week

Topics covered

1

Introduction
- administrative matters
- overview of course

Nuclear & Radiation Chemistry
- nucleons, nuclides and isotopes
- fusion
- natural radioactivity
- 4 decay processes
- nuclear stability
- kinetics of decay
- carbon dating
2
Nuclear & Radiation Chemistry (continued)
- biological damage
- medical imaging

Wave Theory of Electrons and Resulting Atomic Energy Levels 

Shape of Atomic Orbitals and Quantum Numbers 
3
Shape of Atomic Orbitals and Quantum Numbers (continued)

Filling Energy Levels in Atoms Larger than Hydrogen

Periodic Table and the Periodic Trends
4
Atomic Electronic Spectroscopy
- elemental analysis
- atomic absorbance and emission
- relative independence of core electrons to bonding
- x-ray fluorescence
- generation of x-rays

Ionic bonding

Bonding - MO theory
- energy levels
- the sigma orbital/bond
- stability due to electron delocalization
5
Bonding - MO theory (continued)
- pi orbitals
- non-bonding orbitals (lone pairs)
- O3 and UV absorption

Band theory - MO in solids

Lewis Structures
- as a simple approx. to MO theory
- octet rule
6
VSEPR
- molecular shape
- application to larger molecules including organic molecules
- shape and bonding of common functional groups

Types of Intermolecular Forces
- dispersion forces
- Hydrogen bonding
7
Gas Laws
- effects of temperature and pressure on volume
- ideal gas law
- partial pressures

Liquids
- colligative properties
8
Thermochemistry
- heat and temperature
- greenhouse effect
- kinetic and potential energy

Enthalpy and Entropy
- heat capacity
- enthalpy
- enthalpy change in a reaction (endo- and exothermic)
- enthalpy as a state function
- Hess's Law
- heat of formation
9
Enthalpy and Entropy Continued
- introduction to entropy
- relationship between the entropy change of the universe and Gibbs free energy

Oxidation Numbers

Nitrogen Chemistry & Compounds
- high explosives
- nitrogen biocycle, nitrification and denitrification
- hydrides, halides, oxides, oxoacids

Nitrogen in the Atmosphere
- NO/NO2 cycle
- formation of pollutants
- global warming
10
Chemical Equilibrium
- equilibrium as a dynamic process
- the equilibrium constant
- the reaction quotient
- predicting direction of chemical change
- relationship between the Gibbs free energy change and the equilibrium constant
- introduce particular equilibrium constants
- Kp and partial pressures
- Kc and units of concentration
- Ksp 
- Ka and Kb; pKa and pKb
- equilibrium calculations
- Le Chatelier’s principle

11
Equilibrium and Thermochemistry in Industrial Processes
Mining
- general principles
- example: Mining of copper
- example: The Steel Story
Top 10 chemicals produced in the world:
- special example, sulfuric acid , ammonia
12
Introduction to Electrochemistry
voltaic or galvanic cells
-using half-reactions
-table of standard reduction potentials

Electrochemistry Continued
Effect of concentration
- Nernst equation
- link between E and K
- link between Eo, the Gibbs free change and K
- concentration cells
13
Electrochemistry (Batteries & Corrosion)
Primary and secondary batteries
- how common batteries work?
- fuel cells and how they work
- corrosion and corrosion protection

Electrolytic Cells
- how does electrolysis work?
- concept of overpotential
- chlor-alkali process (H2, NaOH, Cl2 from seawater)


Textbook


Blackman, Bottle, Schmid, Mocerino and Wille,
     Chemistry, 3rd Edition, 2015 (John Wiley) ISBN: 978-0-7303-1105-8 (paperback) and 978-0-7303-2492-8 (e-text)


Textbook resources, including the answers to the odd-numbered problems of Chemistry, 3rd Edition and the web address for the publisher's site, are available via "Textbook Resources" on USYD eLearning.


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