Unit CHEMISTRY
- Course
- Earth science and environment
- Study-unit Code
- GP004844
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Simonetta Cavalli
- Teachers
-
- Simonetta Cavalli
- Hours
- 78 ore - Simonetta Cavalli
- CFU
- 9
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2025
- Offered
- 2025/26
- Learning activities
- Base
- Area
- Formazione chimica di base
- Academic discipline
- CHIM/03
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- This is an introductory course to basic concepts and principles of chemistry. Topics covered in this course include: electronic structure and chemical bonding; chemical reactions and stoichiometry; properties of gases, liquids, solids and solutions; some classes of reactions such as redox and acid-base.
- Reference texts
- 1) I. Bertini, C. Luchinat, F. Mani, Chimica: materia, tecnologia, ambiente, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2016 - I edizione;
2) I. Bertini, C. Luchinat, F. Mani, Stechiometria. Un avvio allo studio della chimica, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana, 2009 – V edizione;
3) W.L. Masterton, C.N.Hurley, Chimica. Principi e reazioni, Piccin-Nuova Libreria, 2009;
4) L. Palmisano, L. Schiavello, Elementi di chimica, Edises, 2007. - Educational objectives
- The topics covered in this course provide the basic concepts of the general chemistry, necessary to undertake subsequent studies. In addition to learning the fundamental principles of chemistry, students should be able to apply the basic concepts to solve simple problems, such as calculating the yields of the products of a reaction, the concentration of solutions or the pH of acid and base solutions; assign oxidation numbers; describe the characteristic properties of metals and non-metals; use tabulated thermochemical data to determine the change in energy and spontaneity of chemical reactions.
- Prerequisites
- Fluency in elementary algebra is highly recommended. Little previous knowledge of chemistry is assumed, though obviously it is extremely helpful.
- Teaching methods
- The course is organized as follows: twenty-one lectures (42h) on all subjects of the course devoted to the presentation of the basic concepts and eighteen lectures (36h) showing how to apply fundamental chemical ideas to solve, properly selected, problems in general chemistry to help students to enhance their understanding of the main topics and to improve their problem-solving skills.
- Other information
- For information on class and exam timetables, see the website http://fisgeo.unipg.it/joo3x/index.php/it/didattica/corsi-di-laurea-in-geologia.html
- Learning verification modality
- The final exam consists of two parts: written and oral. The written exam (90 minutes long) will contain a mixture of 20 multiple choice and open answer questions. The orals are taken within a week of passing the written test. In the oral exam, lasting approximately 30 minutes, students are expected to come prepared to answer questions covering the work of the entire semester. The final exam aims to verify skills and level of knowledge acquired by the student on the course contents.
- Extended program
- – Electronic structure and chemical bonding – The atomic nature of matter. The nuclear model of the atom. Isotopes. Electronic model of the hydrogen atom. Electronic configuration of atoms and ions. The periodic table. Periodic properties of the elements. Ionic bonds. Covalent bonds. Molecular shape for polyatomic molecules. Free electron model of metals. Oxidation numbers. Nomenclature and general characteristics of some classes of inorganic compounds. – Chemical reactions and stoichiometry – Moles and molar masses. Determination of chemical formulas. Balancing chemical equations. Reaction stoichiometry. Definitions and basic concepts of chemical thermodynamics. – The properties of gases, liquids, solids and solutions – The gas laws. Deviations from the ideal behavior. Molecular interactions. Liquid and solids. Bonding and properties of solids. State changes and thermodynamics. Preparation and concentration of solutions. Solubility. Colligative Properties. – Chemical equilibria – Experimental aspects of chemical equilibrium. Equilibrium constant. The response of equilibria to changes in conditions. Thermodynamic aspects of chemical reactions. The nature of acids and bases. Water auto-ionization. The pH scale. Acid-base equilibria. Solubility Equilibria. – Overview of electrochemistry and chemical kinetics – Redox reactions and electrochemical cells. Standard reduction potentials. Electrolysis. Rate of reaction. Comparing thermodynamics and kinetics of chemical reactions.
- Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile