STRUCTURE OF MATTER COURSE

Course Outline

Chapter 1: Fundamental Concepts

  1. States of matter and macroscopic characteristics
  2. Changes of state of matter
  3. Concepts of atom, molecule, mole, and Avogadro’s number
  4. Atomic mass unit, atomic and molecular molar mass, molar volume
  5. Law of conservation of mass (Lavoisier) and chemical reactions
  6. Qualitative and quantitative aspects of matter

Chapter 2: Main Constituents of Matter

  1. Faraday’s experiment: relationship between matter and electricity
  2. Evidence of matter constituents and discovery of the atom
  3. Physical properties of atomic particles: mass and charge
  4. Rutherford’s planetary model
  5. Atomic characteristics: symbol, atomic number (Z), mass number (A), protons, neutrons, electrons
  6. Isotopy, relative abundance, isotope separation, mass determination (Bainbridge mass spectrograph), nuclear binding energy, and nuclear stability

Chapter 3: Radioactivity and Nuclear Reactions

  1. Natural radioactivity: α, β, and γ radiation
  2. Artificial radioactivity and nuclear reactions
  3. Kinetics of radioactive decay
  4. Half-life concept
  5. Applications of radioactivity in science and medicine
  6. Safety considerations and detection of radiation

Chapter 4: Electronic Structure of the Atom

  1. Wave–particle duality of matter
  2. Interaction between light and matter: absorption and emission
  3. Bohr atomic model: hydrogen atom
  4. Hydrogen atom in quantum mechanics
  5. Poly-electronic atoms in quantum mechanics
  6. Energy quantization and electronic transitions

Chapter 5: Periodic Classification of Elements

  1. Mendeleev’s periodic classification
  2. Modern periodic classification
  3. Trends and periodicity of physicochemical properties
  4. Calculation of atomic and ionic radii
  5. Successive ionization energies, electron affinity, and electronegativity (Mulliken scale)
  6. Slater’s rules for electronic shielding and property predictions

Chapter 6: Chemical Bonding

  1. Covalent bonding in Lewis theory
  2. Polar covalent bonds, dipole moment, and partial ionic character
  3. Molecular geometry: Gillespie theory / VSEPR model
  4. Quantum mechanical model of chemical bonding
  5. Bond order, bond energy, and bond length
  6. Relation between electronic structure and chemical reactivity

Modifié le: lundi 8 décembre 2025, 17:32