Regular Chemistry Learning Objectives

The specific learning objectives for each topic in the Regular course are listed here.

TOPIC 1 Introduction & Measurement

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 1

ALL students should;

Recall a definition of chemistry
Understand the process and stages of scientific (logical) problem solving
Understand and be able to use scientific notation (standard form) for representing numbers
Recall and use some SI units
Recall, and be able to use the rules for determining significant figures and rounding off
Understand the difference between Precision and Accuracy
Be able to interconvert between units using conversion factors
Learn, and be able to use, formula for the conversion of the three different temperature units studied in TOPIC 1
Learn, and be able to use the formula for density

TOPIC 2 States of Matter

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 2

ALL students should;

Recall the three states of matter and their general properties
Recall the methods for converting between the three different states of matter
Understand and recall definitions for physical and chemical change
Understand heating & cooling curves
Be able to recall and use the formula for calculating energy using specific heat capacity, enthalpy of fusion and enthalpy of vaporization
Know the difference between elements, mixtures and compounds

TOPIC 3 Atoms, Elements & Ions

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 3

ALL students should;

Be able to recall a very brief history of atomic theory
Know and understand the five main aspects of Dalton’s atomic theory
Know the three particles that make up the atom and their relative charges, masses and positions in the atom
Be able to use and understand symbols and formulae to represent elements and compounds
Know what the term isotope means
Be able to use the Atomic # and Mass # of an isotope to calculate the numbers of protons, neutrons and electrons
Know what groups and periods are on the periodic table
Know where to find metals, non-metals and metalloids on the periodic table
Know that ions are charged particles and that charges are created by an imbalance in the number of protons and electrons
Know that metals form +ve ions (Group 1 = +1, 2 = +2, 13 = +3 and the transition metals = various) by losing electrons
Know that non-metals form -ve ions (Group 15 = -3, Group 16 = -2, Group 17 = -1) by gaining electrons

TOPIC 4 Inorganic Nomenclature

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 4

ALL students should;

Learn the names and formulae of common anions and cations listed on Regular Common Ions
Know how to combine those anions and cations in the correct proportions to form ionic compounds with no net charge
Know what is meant by a binary compound
Be able to name binary compounds of metals and non-metals
Be able to name binary compounds of two non-metals using the prefix system of mono, di, tri etc.
Understand and be able to use the system of Roman numerals indicating charge on metals of varying oxidation state
Be able to name simple binary acids
Know what is meant by the term polyatomic ion
Know what is meant by the terms oxyacid and oxyanion
Be able to name oxyacids and oxyanions including those of carbon, fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, sulfur, phosphorous and nitrogen

TOPIC 5 Chemical Reactions & Equations

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 5

ALL students should;

Be able to recognize evidence that suggests a chemical reaction has taken place
Be able to write chemical equations in words
Be able to write chemical equations using chemical formulae and chemical symbols (this requires knowledge, and correct use of, chemical nomenclature)
Understand, and be able to use, state symbols as part of chemical equation writing
Be able to balance chemical equations
Understand why balancing chemical equations is important

TOPIC 6 Qualitative Chemistry in Aqueous Solution

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 6

ALL students should;

Understand that a reaction in aqueous solution is one that is carried out in water
Understand the terms electrolyte, weak electrolyte and non-electrolyte and be able to predict which compounds fall into which category
Be able to calculate the individual ion concentrations when ionic compounds are dissolved in water
Understand the difference between, and be able to write, full, ionic and net ionic equations
Learn and be able to apply solubility rules
Recall that an acid is a hydrogen ion donor
Recall that a base is a hydrogen ion acceptor
Understand that in a neutralization reaction an acid and base react to form a salt and water
Learn some reactions that produce gases as products and the chemical tests for those gases
Understand that oxidation and reduction can be described in terms of loss and gain of electrons respectively
Be able to find the oxidation number of an element within a compound
Become familiar with some common oxidizing and reducing agents and the half-equations that represent their action
Understand and be able to recognize the different types of REDOX reaction. Namely disproportionation, synthesis (combination), decomposition, combustion, single and double displacement (replacement) including metal displacement, hydrogen displacement from water and acids and halogen displacement
Be able to use the reactivity series as a tool for predicting displacement reactions

TOPIC 7 Stoichiometry

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 7

ALL students should;

Understand and be able to apply to calculations the concept of atomic mass units (amu)
Understand and be able to apply to calculations the concept of the mole and Avogadro’s number
Understand and be able to apply to calculations the relationship between moles, mass and molar mass (RAM, RMM or RFM)
Understand and be able to apply to calculations the concept of % by mass
Understand the term empirical formula
Be able to calculate empirical formulae from data
Understand the relationship between empirical formulae and molecular formulae and be able to perform simple conversions between the two
Understand that balanced equations give useful information about reacting ratio’s of moles
Be able to use those reacting ratios to calculate moles and masses of reactants and products from given data
Understand and be able to use the concept of limiting reactant
Understand and be able to use the concept of percentage yield
Recall that in this topic you are required to write chemical formulae and correct, balanced equations

TOPIC 8 Gases

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 8

ALL students should;

Recall and be able to use Boyle’s law in calculations
Recall and be able to use Charles’s law in calculations
Recall and be able to use Avogadro’s law in calculations
Recall and be able to use the Combined gas law and the General gas law in calculations
Recall and be able to use the Ideal gas law in calculations
Be able to convert between different units of pressure
Be able to convert between different units of temperature
Recall the conditions that are used as standard in calculations
Be able to use molar gas volume in calculations
Understand the concept of, and be able to perform calculations involving, the root-mean-square-speed of gases

TOPIC 9 Stoichiometry of Solutions

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 9

ALL students should;

Understand AND be able to apply the concept of concentration
Understand AND be able to apply the formula MOLES = CONCENTRATION x VOLUME for a solution
Understand the relevance of AND be able to apply the concept of balanced chemical equations showing ratio’s of reacting moles
Understand the principle and procedure of a titration
Understand AND be able to apply data to calculations relating to the dilution of solutions

TOPIC 10 Electronic Configuration & Periodicity

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 10

ALL students should;

Understand the concept of electrons in shells and the principal quantum number only
Understand the use of the terms s, p and d and their use in orbital notation
Recall and understand the rules for filling orbitals and determining electronic configuration
Be able to construct the electronic configuration of the first 36 elements using the s, p and d notation
Be able to construct the electronic configuration of the first 36 elements using the noble gas core and s, p and d notation
Be able to construct the electronic configuration of simple ions
Recall the shapes of the s and p orbitals
Recall that orbitals are electron probability maps
Be able to describe electronic configurations using the electrons in boxes notation
Understand that regular, repeatable patterns occur across periods and up and down groups in the periodic table
Appreciate that these patterns sometimes have notable exceptions
Recall and understand that the noble gases have full outer shells that represent stable electronic configurations and since chemical reactivity is determined by electronic configuration these elements are stable and relatively inert
Recall how, and understand why, group 1, 2, 16 and 17 elements achieve pseudo noble gas electronic configurations to become more stable
Recall the definition of ionization energy
Recall and understand the variation in ionization energy when moving about the periodic table
Be able to predict the group an element is in from ionization energy data
Recall how and why atomic and ionic size vary when moving about the periodic table

TOPIC 11 Chemical Bonding

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 11

ALL students should;

Understand that when forming chemical bonds atoms are attempting to form more stable electronic configurations
Understand the essential difference between intra and inter bonding
Understand the concept of ionic bonding and the nature of the ionic bond
Understand the concept of covalent bonding and the covalent bond
Be able to draw Lewis structures
Understand the concept of electronegativity
Understand when molecules exhibit polarity
Be able to predict the shapes of simple molecules and ions using Lewis structures
Understand the occurrence and nature of dipole-dipole interactions
Understand the occurrence and nature of London dispersion forces
Understand the occurrence and nature of Hydrogen bonds

TOPIC 12 Thermochemistry

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 12

ALL students should;

Understand, be able to quote a definition and write suitable equations for Standard Enthalpy of Formation
Understand, be able to quote a definition and write suitable equations for Standard Enthalpy of Combustion
Understand and be able to use a Hess’s Law cycle or algeberic method to calculate a given enthalpy change
Understand and be able to use in calculations, average bond energy terms
Understand the meaning of the terms exothermic and endothermic

TOPIC 13 Kinetics

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 13

ALL students should;

Be able to recall AND understand Collision Theory
Be able to recall AND understand how temperature, concentration, surface area and catalysts affect a rate of reaction
Understand AND be able to interpret a Maxwell-Boltzman distribution plot
Understand AND be able to interpret an reaction profile plot
Be able to deduce orders, rate equations and rate constants (including units) from initial rate data

TOPIC 14 Acids & Bases

The following list is a GUIDE to what you should study in order to be prepared for the Regular test on TOPIC 14

ALL students should;

Be able to recall the Bronsted Lowry definition of an acid and a base
Be able to identify acid base conjugate pairs
Recall the difference between strong and weak acids in terms of degree of ionization/dissociation
Be able to calculate pH of strong acids from hydrogen ion concentration and strong bases from hydroxide ion concentration
Be able to sketch titration curves and be able to suggest a suitable indicator for a particular titration
Understand the meaning of the term ‘equivalence point’