OVERVIEW

General and Inorganic Chemistry concerns the theoretical foundations and basic concepts of the structure of matter and its transformations, mainly applied to inorganic systems. This course introduces students to the language of chemistry, as well as to the nomenclature and stoichiometric calculations necessary to understand the quantitative aspects of formulas and reactions, fundamental for all subsequent chemistry courses.
The course is divided into two modules. The 1th module consists of lectures and classroom exercises focused on stoichiometry, reactions, atomic structure, chemical bonding and equilibria in aqueous solutions. The 2nd module consists of lectures (with classroom exercises) completing topics covered in the 1th module, and numerous laboratory sessions aimed at better understanding and practice concepts to be acquired, as well as learning the practical operations typical of the chemical laboratory .
More detailed information can be found in the  sections of each module.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with basic knowledge of the structure of matter, chemical bonding and the principles governing chemical equilibrium in homogeneous and heterogeneous systems, with particular emphasis on reactions occurring in aqueous solvents. Basic knowledge of the chemical properties of the main elements of the periodic system and their most important compounds is also provided.

PREREQUISITES

This is the first chemistry course, so it is not necessary to have any prerequisetes at university level. The basic knowledge of mathematics and physics acquired at high school  are sufficient to understand the addressed topics. 

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

To be eligible to sit the exam, students must have completed the laboratory activities. Each laboratory activity requires attendance at the introductory lecture preceding the experiment and the submission of a laboratory report. Students who did not attend the introductory lecture must, in preparation for entering the laboratory, complete a set of asynchronous lessons and pre-lab quizzes available on dedicated AulaWeb instances. These quizzes consist of a series of questions, primarily multiple-choice. Laboratory reports submitted by students after the practical sessions are assessed by technical and teaching staff before the end of the course.

The exam is joint for both modules and consists of a written test and an oral examination. The written test comprises numerical exercises on topics covered during the course (both Module 1 and Module 2). Only students who achieve a passing score (≥ 18/30) on the written test are admitted to the oral examination. Two partial written tests are held during the course. Students who pass both partial tests are exempt from the written exam. A passed written test entitles the student to three attempts at the oral examination; after that, the written test must be retaken. A passed written test remains valid only for the current academic year.

The oral examination is always conducted by two faculty members with examining experience in the discipline and lasts at least 30 minutes.

The final grade takes into account not only the outcome of the written and oral tests, but also the laboratory reports, the evaluations obtained in the various course activities, and participation in lectures and interactive Wooclap quizzes during class.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The examination assessments are structured so as to accurately verify the attainment of the learning outcomes of both modules.

The written test consists of open-ended numerical exercises and is designed to assess the student's ability to correctly apply the concepts and formulas presented during lectures and classroom and laboratory sessions to concrete problems.

The assessment of laboratory reports is aimed at verifying the correct observation, understanding, and interpretation of experimental evidence, as well as the student's technical and scientific communication skills. The pre-lab quizzes are designed to establish the student's preparation on the theoretical and practical aspects of each specific laboratory session prior to entering the laboratory and following the dedicated asynchronous lessons.

The oral examination consists of a discussion covering both the practical work carried out in the laboratory and the theoretical topics addressed during the lectures of both modules. In this regard, the laboratory reports typically serve as a starting point for discussion. During the oral examination, the examining board assesses the knowledge acquired by the student, including their ability to present the concepts of both modules using appropriate scientific terminology, to argue them, and to correctly relate them to one another.