OVERVIEW

The second module of General and Inorganic Chemistry consists of lectures and laboratory demonstrations that are mostly run on an individual basis. The material covered is closely related to the content of the first module and enables a deeper understanding of the basic chemical concepts, besides a practical learning of laboratory handling practices along with a critical interpretation of the experimental results.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course introduces learners to experimental practice in the chemical laboratory, allowing them to learn how to correctly carry out the most common operations: handling of chemical reagents, preparation of solutions, crystallization, filtration, etc. It also proposes a concrete approach to theoretical concepts learned: experimental observation of spontaneous and non-spontaneous chemical reactions, their physical consequences and practical exploitation for diagnostic purposes. The course also aims to develop the ability to conduct experiments in groups and to write reports on laboratory activities with particular attention to the awareness of errors related to experimental measurements, the interpretation of experimental observations and the critical treatment of the results obtained.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this module, the student will be able to:

• Recognise the experimental and logical foundations of the scientific method.
• Measure autonomously masses, volumes, temperature and pH, paying attention to their uncertainties.
• Identify experimentally and represent graphically a functional relationship between variables (e.g. solubility vs. Temperature and electromotive force vs. concentration).
• Monitor, take note e comunicate meaningful physical phenomena related to evolving chemical systems (e.g. a release of heat or a variation of colour, turbidity, odour, refractive index).
• Interpret the experimental observations attributing meaning to them, i.e. discern whether chemical reactions occur or not, esteemating qualitatively their spontaneity based on the observed reactivity (e.g. determination of the electrochemical series by critical interpretation of the experimental observations).
• Exploit the acquired knowledge for diagnostic purposes, estimating semi-quantitatively the presence and concentration of specific substances as part of mixtures (e.g. qualitative tests of anions and cations).
• Plan a series of coordinated operations and phsical/chemical processes with a minimum of discretion for the purpose of synthesize and purify laboratory compounds.
• Solve numerical problems based on the theoretical concepts and illustrate orally such concepts.

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. 

TEACHING METHODS

The module includes frontal lectures interspersed with interactive quizzes via the Wooclap platform, asynchronous lessons and quizzes on the AulaWeb platform (pre-lab quizzes required for admission to each experimental session), and individual and group laboratory sessions. The practical sessions cover topics both closely related to the course and complementary to those addressed in the first module, with the aim of putting into practice some of the fundamental concepts introduced.

In detail, the following laboratory sessions are scheduled:

1. Redox reactions and determination of the electrochemical series.
2. Identification of an unknown salt through qualitative inorganic reactions (precipitation, acid–base, complexation).
3. Determination of the solubility curve of a highly soluble salt.
4. Fractional crystallisation of NaCl and KNO₃.
5. Preparation of BaCl₂·2H₂O.
6. Preparation of CuSO₄·5H₂O.
7. Determination of the solubility product of AgCl.

Each activity consists of three parts: (i) an introductory frontal lecture, (ii) a hands-on laboratory session, and (iii) the writing of a laboratory report. Full participation in all seven activities is mandatory and is therefore a prerequisite for sitting the exam. These activities are considered complete only upon submission of the respective laboratory reports, which must be submitted within seven days of completing the practical session, following the instructions provided in the designated submission instances on AulaWeb.

Access to the laboratory is permitted no later than 2:00 PM and is granted only to students who have attended the preparatory lectures for the sessions or, in the case of absence, have completed the asynchronous lessons and correctly answered the comprehension questions in the AulaWeb instances labelled "Pre-lab". The pre-lab activities require approximately one hour of engagement and must therefore be completed in advance — strictly at least 24 hours before accessing the laboratory.

A maximum of two absences from laboratory sessions are permitted, and only when prior notice with a valid justification is given; missed activities must be made up during dedicated catch-up sessions. Dates and details of the catch-up sessions will be published on AulaWeb, and students recorded as absent must confirm their attendance by sending an email to the course instructor and to Dr. Anabella Covazzi: anabella.covazzi@unige.it.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The syllabus covers the following topics (grouped by subject area and not listed in chronological order).

Introduction to the scientific method, the discipline of chemistry, and laboratory practice. Measurement operations, instruments and their sensitivity and measurement range characteristics. Introduction to measurement uncertainty: random errors, systematic errors, significant figures.

Gaseous state and phase transitions. Characteristics of the gaseous state. Ideal gas. Classical ideal gas laws. Equation of state for ideal gases. Real gases, van der Waals treatment. Gas mixtures and Dalton's law of partial pressures. Gases in chemical reactions. Phase transitions and P–T phase diagrams. Conditions of equilibrium, non-equilibrium, and metastability.

Solutions and colligative properties. Ways of expressing solution concentrations. Introduction to dissolution and crystallisation processes, van't Hoff factor and degree of dissociation. Vapour pressure of solutions: Raoult's law. Introduction to fractional distillation. Colligative properties of solutions of non-electrolytes, strong electrolytes, and weak electrolytes. Practical applications of colligative properties. Methods for determining molecular mass.

Fundamental laboratory operations. Mass measurements. Technical and analytical balance. Volumetric techniques. Phase separation techniques: simple and fractional crystallisation, recrystallisation, decantation, and filtration (by gravity and under reduced pressure using a Büchner funnel). Observation of typical inorganic reactions in aqueous solution and in the solid state: precipitation, acid–base, complexation, oxidation–reduction. Qualitative tests: flame tests and determination of chlorides and nitrates. Experimental determination of an electrochemical series. Synthesis of inorganic salts with related purification, crystallisation, and purity verification. Potentiometric determination of the solubility product of a sparingly soluble salt.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

The teaching material consists of the lectures recorded through Teams, the lecture presentations, the supplementary informative material and all the material present on moodle (Aulaweb) that is available to the students through the digital channels of the module. The students are encouraged to consult the following sources for a more in-depth study of the topics, including additional numerical problems.

Stechiometria per la chimica generale - Michelin Lausarot, Vaglio – Piccin, Padova.

Stechiometria - Bertini, Luchinat, Mani, Ravera.

Stechiometria - Caselli, Rizzato, Tessore.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

LESSONS START

From September 21st, 2026

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

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.

FURTHER INFORMATION

Ask the professor for other information not included in the teaching schedule