COURSE CODE: CHM1102

COURSE TITLE: INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL CHEMISTRY

CREDITS: 3

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
This course introduces students of agricultural, biological, earth, educational, environmental, health,
materials and other natural sciences to knowledge of the nature of matter, its interactions and their
determinations. The main aims of the course are to enable the student to obtain working familiarity
with matter and its interactions; and to function in technical fields of endeavour with this familiarity.
At the end of this course, the student will have a foundation for the study of chemistry and related
sciences, in particular for CHM 1205 and CHM 1206.

EXEMPTIONS:
Students may be exempted from this course with Advanced Level (Grade C or superior) or CAPE
Chemistry Units 1 & 2 (Grade 3 or superior), or equivalent training.

Pre-requisites: CSEC Chemistry, CSEC Mathematics or equivalent

Co-requisites: MTH1105, CHM1103 (Lab)

FOLLOW-ON COURSES: CHM1205, CHM1206, CHM1207

COURSE CONTENT
Hour Content
1 Introduction. The place of chemistry in the natural sciences.
2 The scientific method (Hypothesis, theory, law and fact in science). Properties of matter and
its classification.
3 Units and dimensions. Intensive and extensive properties; Reporting in significant figure;
Measurement and accuracy.
4 Historical development of the atomic theory. Law of conservation of mass; law of constant
composition; law of multiple proportions. Atomic number and mass number, Isotopes.
5 The electromagnetic spectrum. Atomic spectra. Radioactivity: nuclear source; alpha, β and y
and radiation; nuclear equations; safety. Half-life.
6 Electronic configuration described by the four quantum numbers. Aufbau principle, Hund’s
rule, Pauli exclusion principle.
7 s, p, d, and f-blocks of elements; periodicity exemplified by properties of the main groups.
Brief description of selected physical and chemical properties of the elements.
8 Reading and writing in chemistry: nomenclature, empirical and molecular formulae.
9-10 Types of chemical reactions: synthesis, decomposition, displacement, double displacement
acid-base, redox, phase change. Balancing chemical equations (including redox in acidic
medium).
11 Test #1 (Hours 1-10)
12 Chemical accountancy: stoichiometry, predicting yield, limiting reagent
13-14 Concentration: molarity, molality, % concentration. Titration calculations.
 15 Ionic, covalent and metallic bonding. Electron dot formulae: their use and limitations. Formal
charge.
16 Hybridisation; VSEPR theory, shapes of simple molecules.
17 Electronegativity: its use in estimating polarity and therefore melting point, boiling point and
solubility. van der Waals interactions.
18-19 Motion of the molecules of solids, liquids, and gases. Changes of state. The Gas Laws (include
graphical treatment): The ideal gas equation and its empirical and theoretical origins, Boyle’s
Law. Avogadro’s Law of constant volume
20 Gay-Lussac’s Law of combining volumes, Dalton’s Law of partial pressures, Properties of real
gases.
21 Test #2 (Hours 11-20)
22 Solutions. Importance of liquid state as a reaction medium. Vapour pressure. Boiling point,
Raoult’s Law.
23 Colligative properties: boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, osmotic pressure.
24 Amorphous Solids. Crystalline Solids. Description of Simple cubic, body centred and face
centred. Unit cell. Coordination number.
25 Introduction to Thermodynamics Systems. States. Processes. Paths. Conservation laws. First
law of thermodynamics. Enthalpy: experimental determination of enthalpy of solution,
combustion and neutralisation).
26 Hess’s Law: Use to determine enthalpy changes for processes that cannot be determined
experimentally.

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. To enable the student to have some working familiarity with matter and its interactions
2. To enable the student to function in technical fields of endeavour with this familiarity.
3. To provide the student with a foundation for the study of chemistry.

METHOD(S) OF TEACHING:
This course comprises 39 contact hours. These will include taught classes and tutorial sessions. The
tutorials will include problem-based learning exercises. There will also be multimedia presentations
e.g. videos. Written assignments on special topics will form a part of the learning environment.
Students can also access web-based material.

METHOD(S) OF ASSESSMENT (2020)

● 4 tests @ 19% each = 76%
● Bi-Weekly Quizzes 4 out of 6 (2.5% each) = 10%
● Course Participation = 6%
● Group project = 8%

REQUIRED READING(S):

1. Amateis, P., & Silberberg, M. (2014). Chemistry: The Molecular Nature of Matter and Change:
McGraw-Hill Education. ISBN-10: 007351117X
RECOMMENDED READING(S):

1. Hill, G.C. & Holman, J. S (2014). Chemistry in Context (6th ed.). UK: Oxford University Press.
ISBN-10 1408514966.
2. Ebbing, D. D, Gammon, S. D. (2013). General Chemistry (10th ed.). USA: Brooks Cole. 1994.
ISBN-10 1285051378.
3. Whitten, K. W, Davis, R. E., Peck, M. L., Stanley, G. G. (2014) General Chemistry with
Qualitative Analysis (10th ed.). CA, USA : Cengage Learning Inc. ISBN-10 1133610668.
4. Petrucci, R. H., Herring, F. G., Madura, J. D., & Bissonnette, C. (2010). General Chemistry:
Principles and Modern Applications: Pearson Canada. ISBN-10: 0136121497