SCC0689 - COMPLEMENTS OF GENERAL CHEMISTRY

courses

ID:

SCC0689

Duration (hours):

72

CFU:

Year:

2025

Date/time interval

Annuale (22/09/2025 - 12/06/2026)

Course Objectives

Complements of General Chemistry, planned to be adequate for students attending Bachelor's Degrees of Class L-27, is complementary to Fundamentals of General Chemistry and proposes a vast and accurate introduction to a number of basic, theoretical and practical principles of General Chemistry, with specific reference to Stoichiometry and Systematic chemistry of groups s and p elements. The practical exercitations are propedeutical to those of the future courses and enable the students to apply some of the topics covered during the front lectures and reinforce their practical skills.

Course Prerequisites

Knowledge of the fundamentals of Mathematics (e.g. first- and second-degree equations, exponentials, logarithms) and Physics (e.g. force, pressure, speed, potential and kinetic energy), is a fundamental prerequisite to tackle the topics of Complements of General Chemistry.

Teaching Methods

The teaching activities of Complements of General Chemistry can be subdivided into three parts. The first part is characterized by 36 hours of front lectures carried out with the aid of slides and stoichiometry exercises. The second part is characterized by 16 hours of front lectures carried out with the aid of slides. The third part features 20 hours of practical experiments in the laboratory, working in couples.

Assessment Methods

verall, the students will be evaluated in two different moments: 1. A three-hour written examination, with attribution of a mark expressed in thirties, on all the theoretical topics and exercise typologies proposed during the first-part front lessons. The students can take this examination starting from the end of the first semester. For the examination to be considered successful, the candidates must achieve a mark of at least 18 out of 30. 2. An oral examination, with attribution of a mark expressed in thirties, on all the topics addressed in the second-part front lessons. The students can take this examination starting from the end of the second semester. For the examination to be considered successful, the candidates must achieve a mark of at least 18 out of 30. The final mark is the average of the two partial marks, weighted over the pertinent front lecture hours.

The main topics of the course can be subdivided into three parts, as follows. First part, 36 hours of front lectures dedicated to theoretical aspects and stoichiometry exercises on the following topics: 1. definition of mole. Relation between mass and mole. Atomic and formula weight. Empirical and molecular formula. Chemical reactions balancing, with specific reference to the redox reactions. Chemical reactions stoichiometry. Limiting agent. Reaction yield. 2. Solutions: ways of expressing their concentration. Dilution. Stoichiometry of not reactive and reactive solutions. Ideal solutions. 3. Physical states of matter: the gaseous phase. Boyle’s, Charles’s, Gay-Lussac’s laws. Avogadro’s law. Ideal gas law. Real gas law. Gas mixtures: Dalton’s and Amagat’s laws. Kinetic theory of gases. 4. Ionic equilibria in aqueous solutions. The ionic product for water. Acids and bases: definitions by Arrhenius, Broensted and Lowry, Lewis. Acid-base equilibria. Acid and base ionization constants. The pH scale. pH of aqueous solutions of strong acids, strong bases, weak acids, weak bases. Titrations and titration curves. Titration indicators. Acid and basic hydrolysis. Dissociation degree. Buffer solutions. 5. Solubility equilibria in aqueous solutions. Solubility and solubility product. Soluble and insoluble salts. The so-called common ion effect. The effect of pH on the solubility of salts in aqueous solutions. Selective precipitation. Complex ions formation and solubility in aqueous solutions. Second part, 16 hours of front lectures dedicated to the chemistry of groups s and p elements, i.e.: 1. hydrogen: synthesis, properties, main compounds 2. Group I elements: synthesis, properties, main compounds 3. Group II elements: synthesis, properties, main compounds 4. Group XIII elements: synthesis, properties, main compounds 5. Group XIV elements: synthesis, properties, main compounds 6. Group XV elements: synthesis, properties, main compounds 7. Group XVI elements: synthesis, properties, main compounds 8. Group XVII elements: synthesis, properties, main compounds Third part: practical exercitations in the lab working in couples (20 hours).

Course Language

italian

More information

The professor is available to meet the students any working day, preferably by appointment. Her office is located on the third floor of the building in via Valleggio 9, Como.