Discovering chemistry

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Discovering chemistry provided by OpenLearn is a comprehensive online course, which lasts for 24 hours worth of material. Upon completion of the course, you can receive an e-certificate from OpenLearn. The course is taught in Englishand is Free Certificate. Visit the course page at OpenLearn for detailed price information.

Overview
  • Chemistry lies at the centre of our modern life, playing a part in areas as diverse as the development of new drugs and materials, analysing our environment through to more mundane activities such ...

Syllabus
    • Introduction and guidance
    • Introduction and guidance
    • What is a badged course?
    • Acknowledgements
    • Session1Session 1: Atoms – the building blocks of matter
    • Introduction
    • Learning outcomes
    • 1 Atoms
    • 1.1 Chemical elements
    • 1.2 Introducing the neutron
    • 1.3 Isotopes
    • 1.4 Relative atomic mass
    • 1.5 Ions
    • 1.5.1 Using ions to explore atomic structure
    • 1.6 Models of the atom
    • 1.7 Electronic structure of an atom
    • 1.7.1 Energy levels in atoms
    • 1.8 Electronic configurations of atoms
    • 1.8.1 Electronic configurations of multi-electron atoms.
    • 1.9 Exciting electrons
    • 1.10 More about atomic orbitals
    • 1.10.1 Filling atomic orbitals with electrons
    • 1.10.2 Spinning electrons
    • 1.11. Putting electrons in boxes
    • 2 The periodic table
    • 2.1 Chemical periodicity
    • 2.1.1 The alkali metals and the noble gases.
    • 2.2 Allotropes
    • 3 Electronic configurations revisited
    • 4 This session’s quiz
    • Summary of session 1
    • Acknowledgements
    • Session2Session 2: Chemical compounds
    • Introduction
    • Learning outcomes
    • 1 From elements to compounds
    • 1.1 Introducing chemical compounds
    • 1.2 Molecular substances
    • 2 Molecular and empirical formulas
    • 2.1 Some further examples of molecular substances
    • 2.2 Non-molecular substances
    • 2.3 Comparing ‘dry ice’ with sand
    • 2.4 Extended structures
    • 2.5 Binding forces in molecular and non-molecular substances
    • 3 Another look at the language of chemistry
    • 3.1 Interpreting chemical formulas
    • 3.2 Valency – the combining power of an atom
    • 3.3 Valency and predicting formulas in ionic compounds
    • 4 This session’s quiz
    • Summary of session 2
    • Acknowledgements
    • Session3Session 3: Chemical bonding
    • Introduction
    • Learning outcomes
    • 1 Fundamental ideas behind the chemical bond
    • 2 Lewis structures – a starting point
    • 2.1 Chlorine (Cl2)
    • 2.2 Sodium chloride
    • 2.3 Ionic and covalent compounds – a comparison of properties
    • 2.4 Sketching the Lewis structures for Cl2 and NaCl
    • 2.5 The hydrogen molecule
    • 2.6 Chemical bonding – a common theme
    • 3 Electronegativity
    • 3.1 Electronegativity and the periodic table
    • 3.2 Electronegativity and the chemical bond
    • 4 Bonding in metals
    • 4.1 Alloys
    • 5 Cataloguing chemical substances
    • 6 This session’s quiz
    • Summary of session 3
    • Acknowledgements
    • Session4Session 4: More about chemical bonding
    • Introduction
    • Learning outcomes
    • 1 More about chemical bonding
    • 1.1 Valency and the chemical bond
    • 1.2 Lewis structures – the next step
    • 1.3 Multiple bonds
    • 1.4 Linking Lewis structures with valency
    • 1.5 Lewis structures of ions
    • 1.6 Noble gas configurations under stress
    • 1.7 Dative bonds
    • 1.8 Some more examples of dative bonding
    • 2 Resonance structures
    • 2.1 Bonding in benzene
    • 3 When Lewis structures don’t work
    • 4 This session’s quiz
    • Summary of session 4
    • Acknowledgements
    • Session5Session 5: Chemical reactions
    • Introduction
    • Learning outcomes
    • 1 Chemical reactions
    • 1.1 Chemical reactions – a first-hand experience
    • 2 Chemical equations
    • 2.1 Balancing the equation
    • 2.2 Some further examples of chemical equations
    • 3 Gunpowder – the explosive reaction of charcoal, sulfur and potassium nitrate
    • 4 Chemical equations involving ions
    • 5 Reactivity of molecules
    • 5.1 Functional groups and reactivity
    • 6 The reaction of alcohols with nitric acid – more explosives
    • 7 A closer look at functional groups
    • 8 This session’s quiz
    • Summary of session 5
    • Acknowledgements
    • Session6Session 6: Exploring the shapes of molecules
    • Introduction
    • Learning outcomes
    • 1 Molecular shape affects molecular reactivity
    • 1.1 Reactivity of R-Br
    • 2 Steric effects in enzymes
    • 3 The shapes of some molecules
    • 3.1 The shapes of some simple fluorides.
    • 3.2 Explaining molecular geometry?
    • 3.3 The geometry of the water and ammonia molecules
    • 4 This session’s quiz
    • Summary of session 6
    • Acknowledgements
    • Session7Session 7: Counting atoms and molecules
    • Introduction
    • Learning outcomes
    • 1 Units of measurement
    • 1.1 Units of volume
    • 1.2 Units of mass
    • 2 Weighing and measuring volume in the laboratory
    • 2.1 Weighing solids and liquids in the laboratory
    • 2.2 Measuring volumes of liquids in the laboratory
    • 2.2.1 Where an approximate volume is required
    • 2.2.2 Where an accurate volume is required
    • 3 Introducing the mole
    • 3.1 Molar mass
    • 3.2 Moles and chemical equations
    • 3.3 Working with solutions: concentration
    • 3.4 Expressing concentration in moles
    • 4 How small is an atom?
    • 5 This session’s quiz
    • Summary of session 7
    • Acknowledgements
    • Session8Session 8. Chemical reactions and why they happen
    • Introduction
    • Learning outcomes
    • 1 Petrol engine emissions
    • 2 Chemical equilibrium
    • 2.1 Is the equilibrium position unfavourable?
    • 2.2 The equilibrium constant
    • 2.3 Is the rate of reaction very slow?
    • 2.4 The three-way catalytic converter
    • 3 Catalysts in action
    • 4 Equilibrium positions and rates of reaction – an overview
    • 5 This session’s quiz
    • Summary of session 8
    • Take the next step
    • Tell us what you think
    • Acknowledgements