Chemistry

Course summary

The two-year course provides a solid foundation in the three main branches of chemistry: Physical chemistry: atomic structure; amount of substance; bonding; energetics; kinetics; chemical equilibria and Le Chatelier’s principle; oxidation, reduction and redox equations; thermodynamics; rate equations; equilibrium constant Kc for homogeneous systems; electrode potentials and electrochemical cells; and acids and bases. Inorganic chemistry: periodicity; Group 2 – the alkaline earth metals; Group 7 (17) – the halogens; properties of Period 3 elements and their oxides; transition metals; reactions of ions in aqueous solution. Organic chemistry: introduction to organic chemistry; alkanes; halogenoalkanes; alkenes; alcohols; organic analysis; optical isomerism; aldehydes and ketones; carboxylic acids and their derivatives; aromatic chemistry; amines; polymers; amino acids, proteins and DNA; organic synthesis; and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy