CHEMISTRY

The student will know the main phenomena of basic chemistry and will be able to understand their applications in the engineering field. The student will also learn the ability to understand a scientific text, to rework, even in an original way, what has been studied and to transform and reflect on the knowledge learned.

The student will be able to apply the knowledge acquired to recognize the laws that govern chemical and chemical-physical phenomena, to independently solve complex problems and exercises, even in fields other than chemistry.

The student, using the knowledge of chemical and chemical-physical phenomena acquired during the course, will be able to independently judge the importance of the results obtained, as well as the meaning of the units of measurement and the order of magnitude of the variables that describe the phenomena .

The student who has successfully passed the course will be able to present the knowledge acquired clearly and accurately.

The student who has successfully passed the course will have acquired the ability to study independently and to delve deeper into the concepts studied in full independence.

Lectures and classroom exercises on the topics covered by the teacher.

If the teaching is taught in mixed or remote mode, the necessary variations may be introduced with respect to what was previously declared, in order to respect the planned program and reported in the syllabus.

1. * Nature of the subject. The matter and the states of aggregation. Homogeneous and heterogeneous systems. Stages and their separations. Elements and chemical compounds. Atoms and molecules. Ponderal laws (Lavoisier, Proust, Dalton). Volumetric laws (Gay-Lussac, Avogadro). Determination of atomic weight (Cannizzaro rule) and molecular weight (gaseous density). Avogadro number. Mole. 

2. * Structure of matter. Description of the atom. Protons, neutrons and electrons. Atomic number and mass number. Atomic mass unit. Isotopes. Mass defect. Thomson's experiment. Atomic model of Thomson. Millikan experiment. Rutherford experiment. Atomic model of Rutherford. Electromagnetic radiation. Emission spectrum of the black body. Photoelectric effect. Emission spectrum of the hydrogen atom. Bohr theory. Report by De Broglie. Uncertainty principle of Heisenberg. Wave mechanics. Schrödinger equation. Quantum numbers and energy levels. Orbital. Polyelectronic atoms. Principle of Pauli. Hund rule. Principle of Aufbau. Periodic table. Periodic properties (ionization energy, electronic affinity, atomic radius, electronegativity, metallic character). 

3. * Chemical bond. Electron sharing. Covalent bond. Octet rule. Distance and bonding energy. Homeopolar and heteropolar link. Dative tie. Dipoles. Bonds π and s. Hybridization. Bonding angles. VSEPR. Molecular geometry. Resonance. Ionic bond. MO-LCAO theory. Molecular orbitals of diatomic molecules of the second period. Metal tie. Orbitals of Bloch. Weak links. Hydrogen bond. 

4. * Chemical compounds and nomenclature. Valence and oxidation number. Oxidation and reduction. Hydrides. Hydrogen acids. Oxides. Peroxides. Hydroxides. Oxyacids. Salts. Chemical equation. Reactions. Redox reactions. Disruption reactions. Combustion reactions. Ponderal relationships. Limiting reagent rule. Calculation examples. Types of formulas (minimum, brute, structure and steric formula). Elementary analysis. Calculation examples.

5. * Thermodynamics. Thermodynamic system. Types of systems. Extensive and intensive variables. Status functions. Work. Heat. Power. Thermal capacity. Work. First principle of thermodynamics. Internal energy and enthalpy. Termochimica. Law of Hess. Second principle of thermodynamics. Heat conversion in work. Entropy. Free energy. Spontaneity of chemical reactions. Third principle of thermodynamics. 

6. * States of aggregation of the matter. The gaseous state. Ideal gas and perfect gas. Boyle's law. Law of Gay Lussac. Law of Charles. Avogadro's law. Equations of state of ideal gases. Determination of the molecular weight of a gas. Gaseous diffusion. Partial pressures. Molar heat of gases. Maxwell-Boltzmann speed distribution. Real gases. Van der Waals equation. Liquefaction of gases. Andrews diagram. Numerical exercises. The liquid state. Surface tension. Vapor pressure. Clausius-Clapeyron equation. The solid state. Crystalline and amorphous solids. Isotropy and anisotropy. Primitive cells. Bravais lattices. X-ray diffraction and Bragg equation. Polymorphism. Ionic solids. Covalent solids. Molecular solid. Metallic solids. 

7. * State steps and heterogeneous equilibria. State steps: fusion, evaporation, sublimation. Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Variance. Phase rule. State diagrams. One-component systems: water, sulfur, carbon dioxide. Systems with eutectic point. 

8. * Status of solution. Types of solution. Solubility of a species. Concentration and way of expressing it. Solute-solvent interaction: ideal and real solutions. Rault law. Relationships between the composition of a mixture of two liquids and that of its vapor. Systems with maximum and minimum azeotrope. Dilute solutions of non-volatile solutes. Colligative properties. Lowering the vapor pressure. Cryoscopic lowering. Ebullioscopic elevation. Osmotic pressure. Numerical exercises.

9. * Chemical equilibria. Law of chemical equilibrium. Le Chatelier's principle. Relationship between free energy and equilibrium constant. Balance constant (Kp and Kc). Relationships between equilibrium constants. Homogeneous and heterogeneous equilibria. Gaseous equilibria. Influence of pressure, temperature and concentration on equilibrium conditions. 

10. * Electrolyte solutions. Electrolytic dissociation. Strong and weak electrolytes. Degree of dissociation. Coefficient of Van't Hoff. Conductance. Equivalent conductance. Law of independent ion migration. Acids and bases. Theories of Arrhenius, Bronsted-Lowry and Lewis. Strength of acids and bases. Ionic product of water. Relationship between Ka and Kb. Definition of pH. Calculation of the pH of solution of acids, bases and salts. Buffer solutions. PH indicators. Acid-base titrations. Ampholytic. Solubility equilibria. Solubility product. Ion to common. 

11. * Electrochemistry. Oxidation-reduction reactions: electronic ion method. Electrode potentials. Nernst's equation. Standard potential and its measure. Galvanic batteries. Concentration batteries. Electrochemical series of elements. Chemical stacks. Forecasts of redox reactions. Balance constant. Determination of pH, KPS and degree of dissociation. Free reaction energy. Numerical exercises. 

12. * Electrolysis. Decomposition voltage. Overvoltage. Faraday laws and numerical exercises. Law of electrochemical equivalents. Electrolysis of molten salts. Water electrolysis. Electrolysis of aqueous solutions. Industrial electrolytic processes. Accumulators. Corrosion. Passivation. 

13. * Chemical kinetics. Reaction speed. Kinetic law. Molecularity. Reaction order: reactions of the 1st and 2nd order. Arrhenius equation. Influence of temperature. Activation energy. Catalysts. Kinetic derivation of the equilibrium constant. Chain reactions.

* obligatory skills

1) T.L. Brown, H.E. LeMay, B.E. Bursten, : Fundamentals of Chemistry, fourth Italian edition, EdiSES (or english edition) (new edition)

2) R. Chang – K. Goldsby: “Fundamentals of General Chemistry”, McGrawHill Education - (both new and old editions)

3) P. Atkins – L. Jones: “Fundamentals of General Chemistry”, Zanichelli - (both new and old editions)

There are two ongoing written tests (halfway through the course and at the end of the course), which allow you to pass the exam if both are passed with a positive score. The final exam, if necessary, consists only of a written test. The duration of each of the tests and the final exam is 90 minutes.

Verification of learning can also be carried out electronically, should conditions require it. In this case, the duration of the written test may be subject to change.

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with current laws, interested students may request a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures based on educational objectives and specific needs. Students can also contact the CInAP (Centro per l’integrazione Attiva e Partecipata - Servizi per le Disabilità e/o i DSA) referring teacher within their department.

ONGOING TESTS

There will be two ongoing tests (90 minutes each), one mid-course and one at the end of the course. The ongoing test consists of a written test, containing theory questions and numerical exercises with stoichiometric calculations. Each question will be given a score indicated from time to time next to it. The ongoing tests are considered passed if for each of them the score obtained is between 18 and 30 (expressed in thirtieths), otherwise the student will have to repeat the entire exam on one of the official exam dates scheduled. Success in both ongoing tests, with a final grade of at least 18/30, entitles you to exemption from the final test. Before the start of the test, the teacher will give all the explanations to best carry out both the ongoing tests and the exam on the official exam dates. Booking for ongoing tests is mandatory and must be made exclusively on the Studium platform (http://studium.unict.it) by the indicated deadline and discussed in the classroom during lessons.

The ongoing tests will be carried out on the Exam.net platform, therefore with the aid of a computer to be brought to the classroom on the scheduled day. If you do not have one or if it is accidentally broken, the tests will be done on a sheet of paper provided by the teacher.

END OF COURSE TESTS

The end-of-course test (lasting 90 minutes) consists of a written test, containing theory questions and numerical exercises with stoichiometric calculations. Each question will be given a score indicated from time to time next to it. The test is considered passed if the score obtained is between 18 and 30 (expressed out of thirty), otherwise the student will have to repeat the entire test on one of the scheduled dates. Before the start of the test the teacher will give all the explanations to best carry out the exam. Booking for the exam, for each session, is mandatory and must be made exclusively on the student portal (https://studenti.smartedu.unict.it/) by the indicated deadline.

The exam will take place on the Exam.net platform, therefore with the aid of a computer to be brought to the classroom on the scheduled day. If you do not have one or if it is accidentally broken, the exam will be done on a sheet of paper provided by the teacher.