CHM 101: GENERAL CHEMISTRY I

COURSE CONTENT
• Atoms, molecules, elements, compounds & mixture and chemical
reactions.
•Modern electronic theory of atoms.
•Periodicity and building up of the periodic table
•Electronic configuration,.
•Chemical bonding and intermolecular forces, Valence Forces
•Hybridization and shapes of simple molecules.
•Structure of solids
•Chemical equations and stoichiometry;
•Matter and kinetic theory of matter.
•Properties of gases.
•Elementary thermochemistry.
•Rates of reaction, equilibrium and thermodynamics.
•Acids, bases and salts.
•introduction to electrochemistry.
•Redox reactions.
•Radioactivity.
Atoms, molecules, elements and
compounds and chemical
reactions.
 ATOMS
Atoms and Molecules

•We see many things around us. Some are big and some are small.
•All things are made of matter. Matter is made of atoms.
•Atom is the smallest particle of matter which takes part in a chemical reaction.
•Atoms are the smallest stable units of matter.
•We cannot see atoms because they are so small.
•Atoms except noble gases cannot exist
•Two or more atoms can join together to form larger particles of matter called molecules.
•Molecules can exist independently. Sometimes a molecule has the same kind of atoms but,
sometimes, different atoms combine to form a molecule.
•For example, one molecule of oxygen gas is made of two similar oxygen atoms. A water
molecule has three atoms, i.e. one oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms.

NOTE: the word ‘atom’ means ‘indivisible’. But now the scientists have discovered that an
atom is divisible. Atoms are made of the fundamental particles called electrons, protons and
neutrons. These particles are even smaller than the atoms.
ATOMS
ATOMS
 ELEMENTS

Dmitri
Mendeleev
&
Lothar
Meyer

Frank T. Edelmann, 2021.

 Elements

20th Century = 118

 Elements
•The matter consisting of only one kind of atoms is called an element. Gold, silver and copper
are the examples of elements.
•Elements cannot be broken down into further simpler forms by ordinary chemical processes.
For instance, If we take a piece of coal which is carbon and break it into very small pieces. We
will find that its very small piece is also coal (carbon).
•There are 118 elements known to scientists. About 92 elements are naturally found. Other
elements are made by scientists.
•Elements exist in all three states of matter. For example iron is a solid element. Mercury is a
liquid element and oxygen is an element in gaseous state.
Some Common Elements and their Symbols
In the beginning, each element was written in its full name. A short way to write the names of
elements was developed. Each element is given a symbol.
A symbol is the abbreviated name of an element. The symbol consists of one or two letters
taken from the English or Latin name of the element. ‘H’ is the symbol of hydrogen. ’Na’ is the
symbol of sodium whose Latin name is natrium.
 Elements
Classification of Elements
•Scientists classify elements into two main groups, i.e. metals and non-metals.
METALS
•Metals About 70 percent elements are metals. All metals have similar properties.
•Most of the metals are shiny or gray solids.
•They can be moulded or shaped by heating and pressing.
•Metals are also good conductors of heat and electricity as they allow them to pass through.

NON-METALS
•The elements other than metals are called non-metals.
•They have different properties from metals.
•Non-metals can be solids, liquids or gases.
•Solid nonmetals are brittle and you cannot mould or shape them.
•Most of the non-metals do not allow electricity and heat to pass through them.
•They are non-conductors.
 Elements
Uses of Some Common Elements
•We can relate the physical properties of elements to their uses.
Physical Properties and uses of Metals: Metals are widely used in our everyday life
due to their physical properties.
State: Most metals are found in solid state. However, mercury (Hg) is found in liquid state.
Mercury is filled in thermometers to measure temperature.
Hardness: Most metals are hard solids. For example, iron is used to make steel. The steel is
then used for making rails, bridges, ships, girders, surgical instruments and utensils.
Lustre: Freshly cut metals have brilliant shine, called lustre. For example, aluminium is used for
making utensils and picture frames due to its lustre. Gold and silver are used to make ornaments
because of their shine.
Melting and Boiling Points: Metals have high melting and boiling points. Due to this property
iron, copper and aluminium are used to make kitchen utensils.
Strength and Malleability: Metals are used to make sheets, wires and springs due to their
property of strength and malleability.
Conductivity: Metals like copper and aluminum are used in electrical wiring. They have the
property to allow the electricity to pass through them. This property is called conductivity.
An interesting property of metals is the ability to form alloys. An alloy contains more than one
metals.
German silver is an alloy of copper, zinc and nickel. It is used in jewellery.
Brass is the alloy of copper and zinc which is used to make pipes, hose nozzles and jewellery.
 Elements
Uses of Some Common Elements
•We can relate the physical properties of elements to their uses.
Physical Properties and uses of Non-metals: Non-metals are found in solid, liquid
and gaseous states. Most non-metals are not hard. Most non-metals have no shine or luster.
They have low melting and boiling points. Most non-metals are bad conductors of electricity.
However, graphite is a good conductor of electricity. Non-metals are widely used in our daily life.
Air contains several gases, which are non-metal elements.
Welders use flame of hydrogen and oxygen for cutting and welding metals.
Hydrogen and nitrogen gases are used in the manufacture of urea (fertilizer).
Banaspati ghee is manufactured by the use of hydrogen and vegetable oil.
Phosphorous is used in match industry.
Oxygen gas is used in hospitals.
Carbon as diamond is used in jewellery.
Graphite (carbon) is used by mixing with clay in pencils.

NOTE: Diamond (carbon) is a non-metal, but it is the hardest matter on the Earth. It is shiny and
is used in jewellery. It is also used to cut glass.
 Compounds
•When two or more elements combine chemically in a fixed ratio, a compound is formed.
•For example, water is the compound made of the elements hydrogen and oxygen.
•There are 109 known elements but there are thousands of compounds.
•Elements in a compound cannot be separated easily.
•Properties of elements change when they are combined as compounds.
•In case of water, hydrogen and oxygen are colourless gases. They have no smell or taste.
Hydrogen will burn very quickly in oxygen. Both of these gases combine to form water which is a
compound. We can see and taste it.
 Mixture
•When two or more substances are mixed in such a way that no chemical change takes place,
the combination is called a mixture.
•Parts of a mixture can be separated easily because they are not chemically combined.
•All the parts in a mixture keep their own properties.
•For example, salad in the bowl is a mixture of different fruits and vegetables. You can taste
them.
•How could you separate iron buttons from a mixture of different buttons?
•A mixture may be homogenous or heterogeneous.
•A homogenous mixture has uniform appearance throughout. For example, a mixture of sugar or
salt dissolved in water.
•A heterogenous mixture does not have uniform appearance throughout. This mixture is made
of different parts. For example, a mixture of oil and water.
 Uses of Compounds and Mixtures
We use a number of compounds and mixtures in our everyday life.
Water is used in homes, in industries and in agriculture. Without water life is impossible.
Carbon dioxide is a compound of carbon and oxygen. Plants use it to make food. It is used to
manufacture urea (fertilizer) and the bread. It is also filled in soda bottles.
Sodium chloride is commonly known as table salt. It is the compound of sodium and chlorine
elements. People use it to preserve fish and pickles. We add it to our food to make it salty. It is
also used to manufacture caustic soda and washing soda.
Sherbat is a mixture of sugar, water, table salt and lemon, etc. We use it in hot summer days.
Salad is a mixture of different vegetables as onion, carrot, radish, beet, cucumber, tomato and
cabbage, etc.
Ice cream is a mixture of milk, sugar and flavour.
Milk is also a mixture of water, fats, proteins and carbohydrates.
Tincture of iodine is a mixture of iodine and alcohol. We apply it on a cut to kill the germs.

NOTE: The sea is the world’s largest mixture. It covers about 70 percent of the Earth’s surface.
Water, sodium chloride (table salt) and many other salts are present in the sea water.
 Air as a Mixture of Gases
•Air is a mixture of gases.
•The largest component of air is nitrogen gas which is about 78 percent.
•21 percent of air is the oxygen gas.
•Many other gases like carbon dioxide, helium, etc. form remaining one percent of air.
•Each gas in the air keeps its individual identity and can be separated.
•Besides gases, air also contains water vapour, particles of dust, smoke and pollen grains.
•Which components of air are elements and which are compounds?

Level of Carbon dioxide in Air

The amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air is 0.03 to 0.04 percent.
All green plants use this carbon dioxide to make their food during photosynthesis.
Is it not strange that its level in the air is maintained at the above given ratio all the time?
Nature has managed the level of carbon dioxide by different methods.
All organisms evolve this gas during respiration.
By the burning of wood, coal and oil, carbon dioxide is produced.
Modern electronic theory of atoms.
Periodicity and building up of the periodic table