65816 - Stoichiometry And Chemical Processes

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will possess the knowledge and the theoretical basis necessary for the understanding of the quantitative aspects of the chemical reactions. The student will be able to describe the equilibria involved in chemical transformations through the use of stoichiometric equations and to evaluate the spontaneity of acid-base, redox and precipitation reactions, as well as to understand the meaning of the experimental results in various quantitative analysis, especially those based on volumetric titrations.

Course contents

• Use of different definitions of concentration of solutes in homogeneous and heterogeneous mixtures. Molarity, molality and molar fraction. Percentages by weight and volume. Tutorials on convertions between different expressions of concentration. Preparation of solutions of known concentration.
• Acid-base reactions. Redox reactions. Balance of chemical reactions and use of stoichiometric coefficients. Reagents in excess or defect and calculation of the yield of conversion.
• Solubility and solvation. Colligative properties: vapor pressure lowering, boiling point elevation, freezing point depression, osmotic pressure.
• Weak acids and bases.  Redox species. Acid-base and redox titrations.  Equivalents and Normality.
• Buffer solutions.
• The product of solubility. The effect of the ion in common. Simultaneous equilibria in solution.
• Relationship between concentration of solutions and interaction of solutes with the electromagnetic radiation. Applications of the Lambert-Beer law to the resolution of mixtures of substances. Isosbestic point
• Quantitative aspects of chemical kinetics and meaning of the Arrhenius equation
• Computer-aided solving stoichiometric problem

Readings/Bibliography

Title: Stechiometria. Un avvio allo studio della chimica
Authors: Bertini Ivano, Luchinat Claudio, Fabrizio Mani
Publisher: CEA
Pages: 320
ISBN: 8808183548
ISBN-13: 9788808183545

Teaching methods

The teaching consists of 6 ECTS. Each ECTS includes 6 hours of lectures and 4 hours of practical work in class. The practical work is carried out in the didactic room at the Campus of Cesena (Villa Almerici) with a PC workstations equipped with a projector and with access to the network. The objective of the practical exercises is twofold:

• Have the student familiar with the calculation tools
• To develop the student's ability to independently develop logic processes needed to translate the chemical problem in a number of useful mathematical operations.

Assessment methods

The examination at the end of the course aims to assess the achievement of learning objectives that consist of the student's ability to:

• Translate a chemical problem in setting stoichiometric calculations
• Evaluate the chemical meanings of the numerical results
• Develop critical skills in assessing quantities and errors of measurement
• Addressing, from the quantitative point of view, the aspects of the transformation of matter qualitatively encountered during the general chemistry course

The exam consists of a written test based on 6 exercises of progressive difficulty to assess the partial or complete maturity of the preparation.

Teaching tools

The didactic material presented in class (spreadsheets and text documents) will be made available to the student in electronic format.
To get educational materials visit the website: http://www.francescocapozzi.it
Audio recordings of the lectures will be permitted, provided that they are made ​​available to all students through the sharing of mp3 files into restricted areas of the above teacher's website.
Username and password are reserved for students enrolled in the course and will be reported by the teacher, at the beginning of the course, directly in class. Otherwise, they will be communicated by subscribing to the corresponding mail distribution list.
Guided access to specialistic web portals is offered where students find constants, variables and characteristics of the substances in order to perform quantitative calculations related to the transformation of matter.

Office hours

See the website of Francesco Capozzi