General Chemistry 1 — Open & Free

Learning objectives by module

Unit: Foundations of Chemistry

Module: Properties of Matter

• Classify matter as element, compound, or mixtures.
• Describe the four states of matter.
• Recognize physical and chemical changes and properties.

Module: Measurements

• Convert among the temperature scales of Fahrenheit, Celsius, and Kelvin.
• Convert units using dimensional analysis.
• Determine the accuracy and precision of sets of data.
• Record measurements and calculations using the correct number of significant figures.
• Use the International System of Units for measurements.

Module: Atomic Theory

• Describe the contributions of John Dalton to modern atomic theory.
• Describe the evolution of the atomic theory.

Module: Elements and Compounds

• Apply the concepts of isotopes and their percent abundance to make calculations associated with atomic mass.
• Describe how chemical bonds form.
• Describe the arrangement of the periodic table of elements.
• Distinguish between molecular and ionic compounds.
• Interpret chemical symbols for isotopes and ions.
• Name chemical compounds.
• Write chemical formulas for compounds.

 

Unit: Composition of Substances and Solutions

Module: The Mole

• Calculate the percent composition of a compound.
• Convert amounts of substances among moles, particles, and mass.
• Determine formulas for empirical and molecular formulas.

Module: Aqueous Solutions

• Apply concepts of mass percentage, volume percentage, parts per million, and parts per billion.
• Calculate concentrations of solutions that involve molarity.
• Describe aqueous solutions.

 

Unit: Reactions and Stoichiometry

Module: Chemical Equations

• Represent chemical reactions with chemical equations.
• Describe acid-base reactions.
• Describe oxidation-reduction reactions.
• Describe precipitation reactions.
• Produce balanced oxidation-reduction equations for reactions in acidic or basic solution.

Module: Reaction Stoichiometry

• Apply stoichiometric relationships to calculate amounts of substances involved in chemical reactions.
• Identify limiting reactants in chemical reactions. 
• Calculate the percent yield of a chemical reaction.

 

Unit: Gases

Module : Gas Laws

• Calculate pressure, temperature, volume, or amount of gas by applying the appropriate gas law.
• Make calculations involving gas pressure as it relates to the measurement of gas pressure.

Module: Stoichiometry of Gases

• Apply combined concepts of stoichiometry and the ideal gas law to calculate the amounts of substances in a chemical reaction.
• Apply Dalton’s law of partial pressures.
• Apply stoichiometric relationships to calculate amounts of substances involved in chemical reactions.

Module: The Kinetic-Molecular Theory

• Describe the relationship between molecular velocities, kinetic energy, and molar mass of gases.
• Describe the relationship between the kinetic molecular theory and the gas laws.
• Explain the differences between ideal gases and real gases.

 

Unit: Thermochemistry

Module: Introduction to Energy

• Calculate internal energy for processes and explain its classification as a state function.
• Describe the nature of energy changes that accompany chemical and physical changes. 

Module: Calorimetry

• Calculate heat transferred in chemical and physical processes.
• Distinguish the related properties of heat, thermal energy, and temperature.

Module: Enthalpy

• Calculate enthalpy changes for various chemical reactions.

 

Unit: Electronic Structure and Periodic Properties

Module: Electromagnetic Energy and the Bohr Model of the Atom

• Describe the Bohr model of the hydrogen atom.
• Describe the particle nature of light.
• Describe the wave nature of light.

Module: Quantum Theory

• Describe the general idea of the quantum mechanical model of the atom.
• List and describe traits of the four quantum numbers that form the basis for completely specifying the state of an electron in an atom.
• Write electron configurations for elements and identify valence electrons from them.

Module: Periodic Properties

• Describe and distinguish between ionization energy and electron affinity.
• Describe and explain the observed periodic trends of atomic and ionic size.

 

Unit: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Geometry

Module: Ionic and Covalent Bonding

• Assess the polarity of covalent bonds.
• Describe covalent bond formation.
• Describe ionic bond formation. 

Module: Lewis Structures

• Draw Lewis structures depicting the bonding in molecules.
• Explain the concept of resonance and draw Lewis structures representing resonance forms for a given molecule.
• Use average covalent bond energies to estimate enthalpies of reactions.
• Use formal charges to identify the most reasonable Lewis structure for a given molecule.

Module: Molecular Structure and Polarity

• Assess the polarity of a molecule based on its bonding and structure.
• Predict the structures of small molecules using valence shell electron pair repulsion (VSEPR) theory. 

Module: Advanced Theories of Covalent Bonding

• Apply the concept of Covalent Bond Theory to describe covalent bonds in molecules.
• Apply the concept of hybridization to describe covalent bonds.

 

Unit: Solids and Liquids

Module: Intermolecular Forces

• Describe the roles of intermolecular attractive forces in viscosity, surface tension, and capillary rise.
• Describe the types of intermolecular forces possible between atoms or molecules in condensed phases.
• Identify the types of intermolecular forces experienced by specific molecules based on their structures.

Module: Phase Changes

• Describe the processes represented by typical heating and cooling curves, and compute heat flows and enthalpy changes accompanying these processes.
• Explain the relation between phase transition temperatures and intermolecular attractive forces.
• Use phase diagrams to identify stable phases at given temperatures and pressures, and to describe phase transitions resulting from changes in these properties.
• Apply the Clausius-Clapeyron Equation to calculate vapor pressure.

Module: The Solid State of Matter

• Define and describe the bonding and properties of ionic, molecular, metallic, and covalent network crystalline solids.
• Describe the arrangement of atoms and ions in crystalline structures.
• Compute ionic radii using unit cell dimensions.
• Explain the use of X-ray diffraction measurements in determining crystalline structures.

 

Unit: Solutions

Module: Solubility

• Describe the basic properties of solutions and how they form.
• Describe the solubility of gases, liquids, and solids in liquids.
• Explain solute-solvent interactions of ionic and covalent electrolytes. 
• Describe the composition and properties of colloidal dispersions.

Module: Colligative Properties

• Express concentrations of solution components using mole fraction and molality.
• Perform calculations using the mathematical equations that describe various colligative effects.
• Use colligative properties to calculate molar mass.
• Describe differences in colligative properties of electrolytes.