CHM103

Introductory Physical Chemistry

Sciences
100 level
2 credit units
169 pages
19 units

This course introduces fundamental principles of physical chemistry. It covers units and dimensions, the gaseous state of matter, and solid and liquid states. Students will explore solutions, phase equilibria, and various separation techniques. The course aims to develop a strong understanding of energy relationships in chemical reactions and factors affecting equilibrium systems. Emphasis is placed on applying mathematical concepts and standard procedures to solve physical chemistry problems, with practical exercises and laboratory facilities available.

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About this course

Difficulty: Intermediate
Study hours: 60 hours
Maths: Intermediate
Content: Theoretical, practical, problem solving
Practical work: Yes

How it is assessed

Assignments
Tutor Marked Assessments
Final Examination

What you'll read

The real module and unit structure of CHM103, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.

Module 1 · INTRODUCTION

Module 2 · GASEOUS STATE OF MATTER

Module 3 · SOLID AND LIQUID STATES OF MATTER

Module 4 · SOLUTIONS AND PHASE EQUILIBRIA

One paragraph, so you can see how it reads

CHM103 · Unit I: Units and Dimensions

Before vou proceed, have you ever thought of what these basic quantities are? Assuming you can not remember what length. mass. time. temperature. electric current. luminous of intensity and amount of substancarc. thelf definitions arc briefly stated here.

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What you should be able to do

Apply SI units correctly in physical chemistry calculations
Explain the properties of gases, liquids, and solids
Analyze phase changes in matter
Describe the conditions regulating the solubility of liquid solutions
Discuss the mathematical viabilities and standard procedure required in effective study of physical chemistry

What it prepares you for

Careers

Chemical Technician
Laboratory Analyst
Quality Control Chemist
Research Assistant

Where it is applied

Pharmaceuticals
Petroleum
Environmental Monitoring
Materials Science

Where it gets hard

The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.

Module 2: Gaseous State of Matter
Unit 3: The Kinetic Theory of Gases
Advanced calculus integration techniques required to fully understand the derivation of gas laws.
Module 3: Solid and Liquid States of Matter
Unit 2: Nature of Bonds in Solids
Understanding Miller indices and their relationship to crystal structures requires strong spatial reasoning skills.

A suggested way through it

Suggested

13 weeks, about 42 hours in total. Yours will differ.

Week 1Module 1: Introduction
- Unit 1: Units and Dimensions · 3 hours
  Understand the need for SI units and their importance in scientific calculations.. Learn to state basic and derived SI units.. Practice deriving dimensions and SI units for physical quantities using appropriate equations..
- Unit 2: SI Prefixes · 2 hours
  Explain how multiples and sub-multiples of SI units are obtained.. Describe the rules for writing SI units correctly.. Practice converting non-SI units into SI units..
Week 2Module 1: Introduction
- Unit 3: Separation Techniques · 3 hours
  Identify key apparatus used in chemistry labs and explain their uses.. Describe various techniques for separating mixtures.. Understand the key elements of reporting practical work in chemistry..
Week 3Module 2: Gaseous State of Matter
- Unit 1: Gases · 3 hours
  Describe the properties of matter in the gaseous state.. State Boyle's and Charles' laws accurately.. Apply gas laws to determine unknown variables among pressure, volume, and temperature..
Week 4Module 2: Gaseous State of Matter
- Unit 2: Ideal Gases · 3 hours
  Define an ideal gas and derive the ideal gas equation.. Calculate pressure, volume, temperature, or amount of gas using the ideal gas equation.. State Dalton's law of partial pressures and Graham's law of effusion..
Week 5Module 2: Gaseous State of Matter
- Unit 3: The Kinetic Theory of Gases · 4 hours
  State the postulates of the kinetic theory of gases.. Derive the expression for pressure using kinetic theory.. Calculate average kinetic energy, number density, and root mean square speed..
Week 6Module 2: Gaseous State of Matter
- Unit 4: Real Gases · 3 hours
  State the differences in behavior between real and ideal gases.. Deduce the Van der Waals equation.. Define critical temperature, critical pressure, and critical volume..
Week 7Module 2: Gaseous State of Matter
- Unit 5: Liquefaction of Gases · 3 hours
  Define liquefaction and state the principles of liquefaction methods.. Explain the nature of intermolecular forces.. Discuss the effect of intermolecular forces on condensation of gases into liquids and solids..
Week 8Module 3: Solid and Liquid States of Matter
- Unit 1: Solid States and Solid Types · 3 hours
  Define lattice, basis, unit cell, primitive and non-primitive cells.. Describe the seven crystal systems and the fourteen Bravais lattices.. Identify the face, corner, edge, face-center and body-center in a cube..
Week 9Module 3: Solid and Liquid States of Matter
- Unit 2: Nature of Bonds in Solids · 3 hours
  State crystal planes in terms of Miller indices.. State Bragg's law.. Describe the determination of crystal structure by X-ray diffraction.. Examine the types of bonds in solids..
Week 10Module 3: Solid and Liquid States of Matter
- Unit 3: Structures of Crystals · 3 hours
  Discuss the structures of ionic, covalent, and metallic crystals.. Describe the types of semiconductors.. Explain the molecular velocities.
Week 11Module 3: Solid and Liquid States of Matter
- Unit 4: Liquids · 3 hours
  Explain the concept of a liquid and compare liquids with gases and solids.. Explain the structure of liquids.. State the significance of surface tension and viscosity of liquids..
Week 12Module 3: Solid and Liquid States of Matter
- Unit 5: Other Properties of Liquids · 3 hours
  Discuss the dependence of vapor pressure, boiling point, and molar enthalpy of vaporization on molecular interactions.. State and explain Trouton's Rule.. Discuss the types of liquid crystals and their applications..
Week 13Module 4: Solutions and Phase Equilibria
- Unit 7: Phase Rule · 3 hours
  Define phase, component, and degree of freedom.. Calculate the number of phases, components, and degrees of freedom in a system.. State and deduce the phase rule.. Explain the distribution of molecular speeds.

Preparing for the exam

What to do

Create concept maps linking Modules 2 and 3 state of matter concepts
Practice unit conversions from Unit 1 weekly
Review all gas law calculations from Module 2
Focus on understanding phase diagrams from Unit 7
Solve all example problems in the textbook and TMAs
Create flashcards for key definitions and equations from each unit
Allocate specific study time for each module based on its complexity and your familiarity with the material
Form a study group to discuss challenging concepts and share notes
Prioritize topics based on their weight in the final examination
Get enough sleep and manage stress to optimize cognitive function during the exam
Practice past questions and answers to get familiar with the exam format and difficulty level
Create a summary sheet of all important formulas and concepts for quick reference during the exam preparation
Make sure to understand all the concepts and theories behind the formulas, not just memorizing them
Solve all exercises at the end of each unit
Pay close attention to the tutor marked assignments and make sure you understand all the solutions
Attend all tutorials and ask questions
Use the NOUN library and online resources to find additional information and examples

Questions students ask about this course

What is CHM103 about?

How many units does CHM103 have?

CHM103, Introductory Physical Chemistry, has 19 units across 4 modules, over 169 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.

How many credit units is CHM103?

CHM103 carries 2 credit units, at 100 level in Sciences.

Is CHM103 hard?

CHM103 is rated intermediate level, with intermediate mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical, practical and problem solving work, and it has a practical component.

How long does CHM103 take to study?

About 60 hours of study, spread across its 19 units.

How is CHM103 assessed?

CHM103 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assessments and Final Examination.

What can I do with CHM103?

Chemical Technician, Laboratory Analyst, Quality Control Chemist and Research Assistant.