Introductory material
Science, the scientific method, and measurements
- Pack 1 : Science and the scientific method – the scientific method and related terms.
- Pack 2 : Accuracy, Precision, and Significant Figures – concepts related to data-handling in the sciences.
- Pack 3 : Units and Dimensional Analysis – metric (SI) units, base and derived. Using the method of dimensional analysis for unit conversions.
- Pack 4 : Problem solving strategy – A problem solving strategy to help you solve dimensional analysis problems.
The language of chemistry
Chemical formulas and nomenclature
- Pack 1 : Dalton’s Atomic Theory – basic concepts like atoms, molecules, and chemical compounds.
- Pack 2 : The periodic table – finding your way around the periodic table.
- Pack 3 : Nomenclature, part 1 – Ionic and molecular compounds – the basic concepts.
- Pack 4 : Nomenclature, part 2 – Naming ionic compounds (including hydrates).
- Pack 5 : Nomenclature, part 3 – Naming simple molecular compounds – binary molecular compounds, binary acids, and oxoacids.
These links go to a set of flowcharts for writing names and formulas. I use these in CHM 100, but you might find them useful. Hydrates are not covered by these flowcharts!
Writing formulas from names
[Flowchart: Writing Ionic Formulas]
[Flowchart: Writing Binary Molecular Formulas]
[Flowchart: Writing Acid Formulas]
Writing names from formulas
[Flowchart: Naming Ionic Compounds]
[Flowchart: Naming Binary Molecular Compounds]
[Flowchart: Naming Acids]
Basic chemical calculations
Stoichiometry
- Pack 1 : The Mole Concept – also includes experimental determination of formulas for certain ionic compounds
- Pack 2 : Chemical Formulas and Mass Percentages
- Pack 3 : Interpretation of Chemical Equations (also relating moles of one substance to moles of another)
- Pack 4 : Basic Stoichiometry Calculations (you have the mass of one substance and want to find the mass of another)
- Pack 5 : Limiting Reactant calculations (you have the amount of two reactants and want to find the amount of product produced)
- Pack 6 : Percent Yield calculations (you have the actual yield of a product and the mass of reagent you started with and want to find out how close you were to the theoretical amount of product)
- Pack 7 : Molarity calculations. When dealing with reagents present in aqueous solution, it’s useful to caclulate based on the concentration of the solution and the solution volume instead of the mass of the reagents.
Introduction to chemical reactions
Chemical reactions
- Pack 1 : Electrolytes and the Ionic Theory of Solutions
- Pack 2 : Molecular and Ionic Equations (other ways to write chemical reactions)
- Pack 3 : Overview of Chemical Reactions Part 1 (precipitation and acid-base reactions)
- Pack 4 : Overview of Chemical Reactions Part 2 (oxidation-reduction or “redox” reactions)
Describing phases of matter: The gases.
Gases
- Pack 1: Gas Basics (the empirical gas laws)
- Pack 2: The Ideal Gas Law (relating moles to other properties)
- Pack 3: Kinetic Theory (an explanation of the gas laws)
- Pack 4: Real Gases (a brief note on the behavior of real gases)
- Pack 5: Stoichiometry and Gases (just like chapter 3 except we deal with gas volumes)
Energy and the chemical reaction
Thermodynamics / Heat and chemical reactions
- Pack 1: The Terminology of Thermodynamics (basic definitions and concepts relating to heat transfer)
- Pack 2: The Heat of Reaction (the definition of thermochemical equations and the heat of reaction)
- Pack 3: Hess’s Law and the Enthalpy of Reaction (finding heats experimentally and from literature)
The structure of the electron cloud
Electron configurations and periodic properties
- Pack 1: Electron Configurations (how to write electron configurations for atoms)
- Pack 2: Periodic Trends (getting some properties from the periodic table)
- Pack 3: A Guided Tour of the Main Group Elements (properties of the elements in the “A” groups of the periodic table)
The basics of of chemical bonding.
- Pack 1: The basics of bonding (covers basic bonding terminology and concepts)
- Pack 2: Simple Lewis structures (a four-step method to draw Lewis structures)
- Pack 3: Resonance and Lewis structures (delocalized bonding and how to show it with a Lewis structure)
- Pack 4: Formal charges and Lewis structures (how to use formal charge to decide which Lewis structure is best)