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CHEM 113 Foundation Chemistry I Course Outline 2025

The document outlines the course syllabus for CHEM 113 Foundation Chemistry I at the University of Ghana for the 2024/2025 academic year, detailing lecture times, instructors, course objectives, and learning outcomes. It covers fundamental concepts in general chemistry, including measurements, equilibria in aqueous solutions, redox systems, and formation constants, along with assessment methods and grading criteria. Students are expected to participate in online activities and complete tutorials to enhance their understanding and performance in the course.

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46 views4 pages

CHEM 113 Foundation Chemistry I Course Outline 2025

The document outlines the course syllabus for CHEM 113 Foundation Chemistry I at the University of Ghana for the 2024/2025 academic year, detailing lecture times, instructors, course objectives, and learning outcomes. It covers fundamental concepts in general chemistry, including measurements, equilibria in aqueous solutions, redox systems, and formation constants, along with assessment methods and grading criteria. Students are expected to participate in online activities and complete tutorials to enhance their understanding and performance in the course.

Uploaded by

joachimmireku
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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UNIVERSITY OF GHANA

(All rights reserved)


DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY

SCHOOL OF PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES


FIRST SEMESTER 2024/2025 ACADEMIC YEAR
COURSE SYLLABUS
CHEM 113 FOUNDATION CHEMISTRY I (3 Credits hours)

Lecture Period: Mondays 7:30 am – 9:30 am; Tuesdays 4:30 pm – 6:30 pm


Venue: Department of Chemistry & Online (Sakai)
Course Instructors: Dr. L. Hamenu, Dr. Anita A. Oppong, Dr. J. J. E. Harrison, Dr. B. Som,
Dr. A. A. Aryee, Dr. M. Ainooson, Dr. C. Obuah and Dr. B. Antwi.

Course Overview
This course is designed to provide students with the fundamental concepts in general chemistry.
Topics to be considered will include: uncertainty in measurements, significant figures, Normal
distributions, standard deviations, Precision, Accuracy, Propagation of errors in calculations,
Bronsted-Lowry concept of acids and bases (≥ 10¯6 M), strong and weak acids/bases, leveling
effect of water. pX scale. Hydrolysis of salts (cations and anions). Simple pH calculations for
solutions of acids, bases, and their salts. Indicators as weak acids/bases and their choice in
acid/base titrations, including polyprotic acids/bases, Calculations of pH throughout such titrations,
Redox systems: Oxidation states, formal charges. Balancing of Redox reactions, and applications.
Solubility, ionic product constants, and Ksp, common-ion effect. Selective precipitation, principles
of Mohr and Volhard titrations.
Course Objective
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to;
1. Appreciate the basic concepts of scientific measurements and apply them in data analysis
and report writing.
2. Understand the concepts of equilibria aqueous solutions and propose theoretical solutions
for volumetric and gravimetric analysis.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
▪ Articulate the importance of measurements as applied in chemistry and its related concepts
such as uncertainty and significant figures
▪ Characterize acids, bases, and salts, and provide solutions to problems based on their
quantitative relationships
▪ Recognize and balance oxidation-reduction equations and provide solutions to problems
involved in their application in titrations.
▪ Predict and analyze the solubility of sparingly soluble salts based on formation constants
Course Delivery
1) The format will consist of lectures, demonstrations, and discussions. Students’ participation
is vital to the success of the course and may contribute to your grade.
NB: You are required to complete every lesson on the Sakai platform. Some lessons require you to
complete a previous lesson before you can continue. Marks are awarded for every lesson completed
and for your activity in the other columns like Forums, Chatrooms, Commons, Polls, etc.
2) Students are encouraged to make their notes.
3) Attendance at lectures is essential for successful completion of the course and is strongly
encouraged.
4) At the end of each major topic, tutorials will be made available. This is to enable students
to have a better understanding of the topics treated. Completion of tutorials is highly
encouraged.
5) The recommended textbooks and supplemental books are designed to aid you look for
other approaches and application of the various techniques being discussed in class. The
list is by no means exhaustive.
6) There will be at least one major interim assessment (IA) and a final exam at the end of the
semester. Four class quizzes will be conducted online during the semester.
7) Success in this course may also depend on reading widely on the topics to be treated, and is
highly recommended.

Eligibility for Examinations


• A full-time student shall participate in all prescribed activity on the Sakai platform,
undertake all other assignments as prescribed and attend all such tutorials organized for
the course once the student has registered. Only students who have properly registered for
the course on their student MIS web will be allowed to write the final exam.
• Any student who did not participate in 25% of all the activities prescribed for the
course shall be deemed to have withdrawn from the course and shall not be permitted to
sit for the final examination pertaining to the course. (see university student’s handbook
page 47.)

Assessment and Grading


Online Quizzes, Forums, Assignments, Class/Online Activity 10 %
Interim Assessments 20 %
Final Exam 70 %
Total 100 %
Quizzes Timetable
Online Quizzes Coverage Date
Quiz 1 Analysis of Measurement 15th February, 2025
Quiz 2 Equilibria in Aqueous Solutions 21st March, 2025
Quiz 3 Redox Systems 5th April, 2025
Quiz 4 Formation Constants 19th April, 2025
Provisional Interim Assessment Date: 22nd March 2024
Grading Scale:
Marks Letter grade Grade point
80- 100 A 4.0
75-79 B+ 3.5
70-74 B 3.0
65-69 C+ 2.5
60-64 C 2.0
55-59 D+ 1.5
50-54 D 1.0
45-49 E 0.5
0-44 F 0.0
Please refer to the undergraduate Handbook for further details

Course Outline and approximate durations

Analysis of Measurements: 7 Hours + (2 h tutorial) 1st – 3rd Week


• Recording measurements (Unit and conversion)
• Uncertainty in measurements (Difference between Uncertainty and error, Types of error)
• Significant figures (Scientific notation)
• Precision and Accuracy
• Statistical treatment of measurements; Normal distribution, Mean, Mean deviation,
Standard deviation and Variance. (Simple calculations)
• Simple calculations involving uncertainties

Equilibria in Aqueous Solutions: 12 Hours + (2 h tutorial) 4th - 8th Week


• General properties of acids and bases; egs of acid and bases
• Theoretical Models; Arrhenius model of acids and bases and its limitations; Brønsted-
Lowry acid-base model as an improvement on Arrhenius model; Lewis model of acids
and bases
• Strong acids and bases, The leveling effect of water
• Self-ionization of water and the pX scale; -pH, pOH, pKa and pKb
• Simple pH calculations for solutions of acids and bases (strong)
• Equilibria involving weak acids and weak bases-Weak acid and base dissociations
• Equilibrium constants; Dissociation constants for weak acids, bases and conjugate
acid/base pairs
• Percent dissociation or ionization for weak acids and bases
• Hydrolysis of salts (cations and anions) and calculations
• Simple pH calculations for solutions of salts
• Indicators as weak acids and bases and their choice in simple acid/base titrations
• Calculations of pH throughout such titrations (Strong- Strong only)
• Polyprotic acids and bases

Redox Systems: 6 Hours + (1 h tutorial) 8th – 10th Week


• Introduction to oxidation and reduction processes, Oxidizing and reducing agents
• Oxidation numbers (states); Rules for assignment of oxidation numbers
• Balancing of redox reactions in acidic and basic solutions
• Balancing of redox reactions by half-reaction or ion electron methods
• Redox applications eg. Titration etc
• Simple calculations involving redox systems

Formation Constants: 5 Hours + (1 h tutorial) 11th & 12th Week


• Solubility
• Ionic product constants and Ksp
• Common-ion effect.
• Selective precipitation (with Calculation)

Reading List
NB: Some of these books may have several editions
1. Chang, R., General Chemistry, The Essential Concepts. Mc Graw-Hill Publishers Inc.,
New York, 2013.
2. Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Chemistry, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston,
New York, 9th Edition, 2014.
3. Harris C. D., Exploring Chemical Analysis. W. H. Freeman and Co, 2012
4. Skoog, D. A., West, D. M., Holler, F. J., Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry 9th
(ninth) Edition. Cengage Learning (2013).
5. Kask, U.; Rawn, J. D., General Chemistry, Wm. C, Brown Publishers, Oxford, 1993
6. Oxtoby, W. D.; Freeman, W. A.; Block, T. F., Chemistry: Science of Change, Saunders
College Publishing, Philadelphia, 1990
7. Bodner, G. M.; Pardue, H. L.; Chemistry: An Experimental Science, John Wiley and
Sons, Inc., New York, 1995.
8. Joesten, M. D.; Johnston, D. O.; Netterville, J. 'F.; Wood, J. L., World of Chemistry,
Saunders College Publishing, Philadelphia, 1991.
9. Hill, J. W.; Petrucci, R. H., General Chemistry: An Integrated Approach, Prentice-Hall
Inc., New Jersey, 2002.
10. Atkins, J. W., General Chemistry, Scientific American Books, New York, 1989.
11. Olmsted, J.; Williams, G., Chemistry, John Wiley and Sons Inc., New York, 2002.
12. Kotz, J.; Treichel P., Chemistry and Chemical Reactivity, Saunders College Publishing,
New York, 1999.
13. Skoog, D.; West, D.; Holler, F. J., Fundamentals of Analytical Chemistry, Saunders
College Publishing, New York, 1994.
14. Steven S. Zumdahl, Susan A. Zumdahl, Chemistry, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston,
New York, 9th Edition, 2014

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