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CODE 65521
ACADEMIC YEAR 2024/2025
CREDITS
SCIENTIFIC DISCIPLINARY SECTOR CHIM/03
LANGUAGE Italian
TEACHING LOCATION
  • GENOVA
SEMESTER Annual
PREREQUISITES
Propedeuticità in uscita
Questo insegnamento è propedeutico per gli insegnamenti:
TEACHING MATERIALS AULAWEB

OVERVIEW

General and Inorganic Chemistry and Laboratory (CHGEN, codice 65521) consists of 8 ECTS divided into 6 ECTS of classroom lectures and 2 ECTS of lab classes. The course is annual and takes place during the following periods:

- Classroom lectures (6 ECTS) take place during the 1st semester of the 1st year of the Bachelor degree in biological sciences. The lectures are given in Italian language.

- Lectures and practical lab classes (2 ECTS) take place during the 2nd semester of the 1st year of the Bachelor degree in biological sciences.

The students enrolled in this course have access to the teaching material via AulaWeb.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The General and Inorganic Chemistry is a basic fundamental training course for the biologist, providing students with the information necessary to understand the processes that occur in specialized areas such as biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics and physiology, and the principles of the physical and chemical analytical methods necessary to follow subsequent courses such as Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry. The skills supplied to the student will enable them to  transfer the basic concepts learned in the course of General and Inorganic Chemistry to the interpretation of the various biological processes.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The student will acquire information to understand processes that occur in specialized fields such as biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, physiology; but also, fundamental principles and methodologies required to be able to profitably follow subsequent courses, such as organic chemistry and biochemistry.

The student will develop the ability to transfer the basic concepts learned during this course to the interpretation of various biological processes.

The laboratory module aims to provide the experimental verification of concepts acquired during the course, by linking together different aspects of the theoretical part, using electrochemical methods and qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis.

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching consists of lectures and laboratory activities. Since activities are carried out for the application of the acquired knowledge, practical and methodological activities, attendance to the lectures is strongly recommended.

The laboratory exercises are aimed at the experimental verification of the theoretical subjects acquired during the lectures. Exercises in the laboratory, individual report and final discussion with the teacher. Attendance to the lab classes is mandatory.

Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.

 

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

General introductory concepts - physical and chemical phenomena - homogeneous and heterogeneous systems - Historical Note on the fundamental laws of chemistry - atom and molecule - Atomic weight - scale of atomic weights - Determination of atomic weights - Atomic number - Isotopes - Molecular weight and weight formula - Avogadro's number - Mole - Extension of the mole concept - formula minimum - molecular formula - Meaning amount of a formula.

Chemical systematics - Oxidation number, formulas and nomenclature of the main classes of inorganic compounds: oxides, hydrides, bases, acids and salts.

Atomic structure - Fundamental Constituents of the atom - Bohr's atomic model and quantum theory - Energy levels - quantum numbers - the Pauli exclusion principle - Wave Theory - Atomic orbitals and their representation - Principle of Hund - Periodic and electronic configuration - periodic law and periodicity of chemical properties.

Chemical bond - General concepts - ionization potential - Electronic Affinity - Ionic bond - Covalent bond - Electronegativity- Resonance Theory VSEPR - hydrogen bond - Notes on the metallic bonding - Types of solids - ionic solids and typical ionic lattices .

 

Inorganic Chemistry - Periodic table of the elements - Changes in property along the periods and groups - chemical properties of the elements in relation to their structure electronically description of the general properties of the elements and their main compounds.

Chemical reactions - General concepts and classification of chemical reactions - the quantity of the chemical reactions Meaning - 

stoichiometric calculations - Redox reactions and dismutation - Reactions in ionic form.

Thermodynamics - internal energy, enthalpy, entropy, free energy. equilibrium conditions, Elements of chemical kinetics, thermodynamic and kinetic aspect of chemical reactions.

Chemical equilibrium – General concepts - Homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibria-equilibrium constant - Factors affecting the balance and equilibrium shift - Le Chatelier's principle - Van't Hoff equation.

Liquid state - Outline of the liquid properties - Vapour pressure - Boiling point - Clausius -Clapeyron equation.

Equilibria in aqueous solutions - Definition of solution: types of solutions and solubilization - Sizes mechanisms that express the concentration of a solution. Ionic product of water - pH, acids and pOH-  Theories of Arrhenius, Bronsted and Lowry, Lewis.- Strength of acids and bases Acids and Bases poliprotici- Electrolytes anfoteri- pH calculation of strong acid solutions , strong bases, weak acids, weak bases-  pH Indicators- Hydrolysis and calculation of idrolisi  and  buffer solutions pH-  pH buffer systems in the blood- heterogeneous equilibria in aqueous solution- solubility product and its applications- relationship between solubility product and of solubility- Effect of temperature and to the common ion on solubility.

One component phase diagrams - Definition and general concepts  - Water phase diagram .

Solutions -Raoult’s law - Mixtures of liquids which follow Raoult's Law - Deviations of Raoult’s law - colligative properties of solutions - Variations of the vapor pressure, the boiling temperature, solidification  of the solvent and freeze - Methods cryoscopic and ebullioscopic for the determination of the molecular weights - osmotic pressure and its measurement - Law of Vant'Hoff - determination of the molecular weight by osmotic pressure measurements - Solubility of gases in liquids: Henry's Law.

Electrolyte solutions - Dissociation - Degree of dissociazione- Activities and activity 

coefficients colligative properties of electrolyte solutions.

Elettrochemistry- electrode potentials, batteries, electrolysis - Basic concepts in electrochemistry: general information on the electrode potentials and the reversible chemical cells, derived thermodynamic equation of Nernst, Daniell cell, the electromotive force of the battery, potential standards and their use for the prediction of possibilities reaction and for the calculation of the equilibrium constant of oxide reduction reactions.

 

LABORATORY

Experimental verification of some of General Chemistry concepts: chemical reactions, ionic equilibria in solution, strength of acids and bases, pH, solubility product: definition, factors affecting solubility, applications Ks in the laboratory. Volumetric quantitative analysis: fundamental concepts, titrations, definition of primary standards, construction of the titration curves for the various reactions used  titration indicators.

Laboratory exercises:

Chemical reactions in solution: acid-base, precipitation, complexation, oxidation-reduction. Reaction for identification of cations: NH4 +, Al3 +, Cr3 + Fe3 +, Pb2 +, Cu2 + and the anions CO32-, C2H3O2-, SO42-, Cl-, identification by means of the emission spectrum to the flame of the elements Li, Na, K, Ca, Sr, Ba. Separation and recognition of cations in aqueous solution (Al3 +, Cr3 + Fe3 +, Cu2 +). Qualitative chemical analysis of a mixture of unknown ions. quantitative volumetric analysis: red-ox titration of a sample containing Fe2 + through a previously standardized solution of potassium permanganate with sodium oxalate.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Recomended books

The recommended books are available at the library of C.S.B. at the DCCI
I.Bertini,C.Luchinat,F.Mani Chimica Casa Editrice Ambrosiana , Milano
R.H. Petrucci, W. S. Harwood Chimica generale, Piccin, Padova.
A.M.Manotti Lanfredi A. Tiripicchio Fondamenti di chimica Casa Editrice Ambrosiana , Milano
P.W. Atkins “Chimica” Zanichelli
P. Michelin Lausarot, G. A. Vaglio Fondamenti di stechiometria, Piccin , Padova
R. Breschi, A. Massagli Stechiometria ETS, Pisa

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

For lessons start and timetable go to the link: https://easyacademy.unige.it/portalestudenti/

Please check the module Aulaweb page for timetable updates dependent on the sanitary and epidemic situation.

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of a written test and an oral test.

The written test can be taken at each exam call or during the semester through intermediate written checks. There will be two intermediate written checks during the first semester (covering the theoretical material covered during the classroom lectures), and one written check at the end of the lab classes (during the second semester).

Admission to the oral exam is allowed if the score achieved in the written test is at least 15/30. The oral exam consists in answering questions asked by the teacher about topics covered during the teaching.

The oral exam can be taken both in the same exam session and in the subsequent exam sessions published on the UNIGE website.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

In order to sit the exam, the students must have attended the lab classes, as demonstrated by the lab reports graded by the teacher.

The oral test is always conducted by a commission made up of at least two professors and has a reasonable duration. The Commission verifies if the learning outcomes have been achieved, by placing various questions related to the program actually carried out during the lessons.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Attendance to the lab classes is mandatory

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