CHEM 101: Principles of Chemistry

Instructor:

Dr Falak Sher

Year: 2009-10

Office No. & E-mail: 311 PDC, fsher@lums.edu.pk

Semester: Fall

Office Hours: Mon, Tue and Wed 16:00 18:00

Category: Freshman

Course Code: CHEM 101

Course Title: Principles of Chemistry

Credits: 3

Objectives:
To understand different theories of atomic structure with special emphasis to quantum
mechanics approach and how atomic orbitals combine to form molecules. To introduce
key concepts of thermodynamic and kinetics which can explain the driving force behind
all physical and chemical changes and the rate at which these changes take place. To
discuss few acid-base equilibria concepts and their applications in titrations and buffer
solutions. To present some of the most common trends in bonding of different elements
in the periodic table with special emphasis to bonding and properties of transition metals.
Course Outline:
Atomic Structure: General information about the atom and how the theory of the atomic
structure evolved. Rutherfords model of the atom, Max Plancks relationship, emission
spectra of atoms and Bohrs theory. Wave-particle duality and De Broglie waves.
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics: The concept of wavefunction, orbitals and their
representation on paper, the radial distribution function, Hydrogen atomic orbitals,
quantum numbers, orbitals and energies, Hydrogen like atoms, Multi-electron atoms,
concepts of shielding, penetration and effective nuclear charge, Slaters rules, orbital
energies of excited states and of empty orbitals and ionization energies.
Electrons in Molecules: Molecular orbitals (MO), linear combination of atomic orbitals,
symmetry labels, molecular orbital diagrams, overlap and the overlap integeral, H2, He2
and their ions, homonuclear diatomics of the second period, limitations of qualitative MO
diagrams, photoelectron spectra, hetronuclear diatomics, MOs of water and methane,
hybrid atomic orbitals, sp3 hybrids, sp2 hybrids and sp hybrids, comparing the hybrid and
full MO approaches.
Chemical Thermodynamics: The first law, state functions and path functions, work of
gas expansions, reversible isothermal expansion of an ideal gas, internal energy, enthalpy
and heat capacity, spontaneous processes, entropy and the second law, microscopic view
of entropy, heat, internal energy and enthalpy, entropy in terms of heat, calculating
entropy change of universe, Gibbs energy, chemical equilibrium, finding the standard
Gibbs energy change, interpreting the value of r G, r H and r S for reactions, the
master equations, the mixing of ideal gases, chemical equilibrium, finding the position of
equilibrium, equilibrium involving other than gases, determination of the standard Gibbs
energy change, the temperature dependence of the equilibrium constant, determination of
absolute entropies.

Chemical Kinetics: The rate of a reaction, rate laws, temperature dependence, the energy
barrier to reaction, the transition state, reversible reactions and equilibrium, measuring
concentrations, integrated rate laws.
Acid-Base Equilibria: Classification of acids and bases, acidity and basicity in terms
pKa, competition between two acids, leveling effect of solvent, the pH of solutions of
weak acids, buffer solutions, acid-base titrations, polyprotic acids
Trends in Bonding: Electronic configuration and the periodic table, orbital energies and
effective nuclear charges, the second period anomaly, the effects of the d-block,
relativistic effects in the heavy elements, electronegativity and orbital energies, atomic
sizes across the periodic table, ionization energies and electron affinities, bonding in the
non-metals and metals, the transition from metals to non-metals, oxidation states, trends
in oxidation states across the periodic table.
Main-Group Chemistry: Overview, key concepts in main-group chemistry, stable
compounds, hypervalent compounds, electron deficient compounds, why common
oxidation states are separated by two, hydrolysis of chlorides, oxides
Transition Metals: Orbital energies and oxidation states, complexes, bonding in
octahedral complexes, effects of interactions with the ligand, factors affecting the value
of o, high-spin and low-spin octahedral complexes, magnetic and spectroscopic
properties of complexes, consequences of the splitting of the d orbitals, tetrahedral and
square-planar complexes, crystal field theory, organometallic complexes, aqueous
chemistry and oxoanions.
Course Status:
Core course for all SSE students
Pre-requisites:
None.
Text books:
(i)
(ii)
(iii)

General chemistry, 4th edition by Hill, Petrucci, McCreary and Perry (HGC)
Modern Chemistry, Indian edition by Oxtoby, Gillis and Campion (OMC)
Chemical Structure and Reactivity by J. Keeler and P. Wothers: Photocopies of
selected chapters (KCS)

Lectures:
Two weekly lectures of 60 minutes duration each and one recitation of 90 minutes.
Grading Scheme:
Quizzes***:
Assignments+++:
Midterm:
Final:

20%
10%
30%
40%

***:
+++

10% for announced quizzes and 10% for impromptu quizzes in the main lectures
and recitations. Best 8 out of 10 or best 80% quizzes of the total will count
towards the final score.
Best 8 out of 10 or best 80% assignments of the total will count towards the final
score.

Attendance:
Attendance is required at all main lectures and recitations. Surprise quizzes will be
taken as and when the instructor wishes to do in order to penalize those who miss the
class.
Recitations:
During the recitations: the subject matter will be repeated and reinforced, questions will
be answered, course related problems can be discussed and solved, quizzes may be given
and new material may be introduced, taught and discussed.
Homework:
You will be assigned homework problems each week. All homework assignments must
be worked out and submitted according to the specific directions and requirements of
your instructor. Late homeworks will receive a grade of zero unless permission is granted
by the instructor for genuine reasons. Solutions to the homework problems will be posted
on the LMS after expiry of due date.
General Policies:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Students are expected to read the specified textbook material before coming to
class.
Instructor may spend more or less time on topics listed; he may be one or two
topics ahead or behind.
Late arrival in the class is discouraged and instructor may lock the doors 05 10 minutes after start of the class.
The instructor will take only a few questions during the main lectures. However,
students may ask as many questions as they want during recitations, tutorials and
office hours.
Talking, making noise, eating, sleeping and any other activity which can disturb
other students is not allowed during the class. Any student found violating this
code could be asked to leave the class.
Mobile phones should be switched off.

Module Titles:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Atomic structures
Introduction to Quantum Mechanics
Electrons in Molecules
Chemical Thermodynamics
Chemical Kinetics
Acid-Base Equilibria

1.0 week.
2.0 weeks.
1.5 weeks
2.5 weeks
1.0 week
1.0 week

7.
8.
9.
10.

Trends in Bonding
Main-Group Chemistry
Transition Metals
Special Topics

1.0 week
1.0 week
1.5 week
1.0 week

Course Topics:
Lecture #
12
36
79
10 12
13 14

Course Topics
Atomic structures
Introduction to
Quantum Mechanics
Electrons in Molecules
Chemical
Thermodynamics
Mid Term
Chemical
Thermodynamics

15 16

Chemical Kinetics

17 18

Acid-Base Equilibria

19 20
21 22
23 25

Trends in Bonding
Main-Group Chemistry
Transition Metals

26 27

Special Topics in
Chemistry

Readings
HGC: 2.1, 2.2, 7.1, 7.2, 7.7, 7.8
OMC: 1.3, 1.4, 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4
OMC: 4.5, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4
KCS: 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.6, 2.7
KCS: 3.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6
OMC: 12.1, 12.2, 12.3, 12.4
KCS: 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 6.1, 6.2, 6.3, 6.4, 6.5, 6.6
OMC: 13.1, 13.2, 13.3, 13.5, 13.7
KCS: 6.7, 6.8, 6.9, , 6.10, 6.11, 6.12, 6.13, 17.4,
17.5, 17.6, 17.6, 17.8, 17.9
OMC: 18.1, 18.2, 18.5
KCS: 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4, 18.1, 18.2
HGC: 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4, 15.5, 15.8, 15.9,
15.10
OMC: 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4, 15.5, 15.6, 15.7
KCS: 7.1, 7.2, 7.3, 7.4, 7.5, 7.6, 7.7, 7.8, 7.9, 7.10
KCS: 14.1, 14.2, 14.3, 14.4, 14.5
KCS: 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4, 15.5, 15.6, 15.7,
15.8, 15.9, 15.10
OMC: 8.1, 8.2, 8.3, 8.4, 8.5, 8.6
Lecture Notes only