Chemical Principles

Chapters 1-5 form a study unit on quantitative chemistry: atoms and moles, stoichiometry, heats of reaction, gas laws and the kinetic theory, chemical equilibrium, and acid-base equilibrium. The mole concept, balancing of equations, and stoichiometry in general appear in Chapters 1-2, as preparation for the laboratory. Stoichiometry is presented along with heats of reaction as two illustrations of a fundamental physical principle, the conservation of mass and energy. There are two chapters on equilibrium: one on principles of equilibrium and the second on acid-base equilibria in aqueous solutions. This study unit provides a solid foundation in vocabulary and problem-solving skills, without which further progress in chemistry is impossible. Chapters 6-13 form a second study unit on atomic structure, chemical periodicity, inorganic reactions, and chemical structure and bonding. Periodicity and oxidation-reduction chemistry are treated in Chapter 6, and Chapter 9 is an introduction to bonding theories, as far as one can go with electron pairing and electron pair repulsion short of quantum mechanics. Chapter 10 is a new chapter on how to classify inorganic reactions. Chapter 11 introduces the principles of the molecular orbital theory and applications to simple diatomic molecules, and Chapter 12 discusses polyatomic molecules and molecular spectroscopy. Chapters 9, 11, 12, and 13 (on bonding in solids and liquids) provide a secure grounding in the principles of bonding, molecular structure, and spectroscopy. Chapters 14-18 form a third study unit on thermodynamics and equilibrium. The first and second laws of thermodynamics are covered in two chapters. The following chapter on phase equilibria was carefully designed to be accessible to the beginning student. The last four chapters discuss special topics that may not be included in all introductory courses: coordination chemistry, chemical kinetics, organic and biologic chemistry, and nuclear chemistry.