Advanced Chemistry

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/advanced-chemistry

Introduction

### Course Review: Advanced Chemistry on Coursera If you're looking to deepen your understanding of chemistry and build upon your foundation in the subject, the Coursera course "Advanced Chemistry" is an excellent choice. Tailored for students who have already grasped fundamental concepts, this course elevates your understanding of chemistry to new heights, covering vital topics outlined by the American Chemical Society. #### Course Overview **Course Name:** Advanced Chemistry **Platform:** Coursera **Prerequisites:** A solid background in basic chemistry, covering topics such as nomenclature, reactions, stoichiometry, molarity, and thermochemistry. This course serves as an essential bridge connecting high school chemistry fundamentals to more advanced theoretical and practical concepts used in college-level chemistry. The syllabus is thoughtfully designed, spanning multiple critical areas of chemistry. #### Syllabus Breakdown 1. **Kinetics** - The unit begins with a thorough exploration of chemical kinetics, which focuses on reaction rates. Students will learn to measure the speed at which reactants are consumed and products formed. This section emphasizes experimental methods and delves into the molecular dynamics affecting reaction rates, providing a comprehensive understanding of this crucial chemistry aspect. 2. **Chemical Equilibrium** - This unit introduces essential principles of chemical equilibrium. Students will learn about the law of mass action, equilibrium constants, and how varying concentrations and pressures can influence a reaction at equilibrium. Problem-solving techniques, such as ICE (initial-change-equilibrium) tables, are meticulously detailed, offering students practical tools to tackle complex equilibrium problems effectively. 3. **Acid-Base Equilibria** - Diving into the world of acid-base chemistry, this unit discusses weak acids and bases, their ionization in water, and pH calculations. The course addresses multi-step ionization processes and introduces the notion of Lewis acids and bases. This provides a holistic view of how acids and bases interact in aqueous solutions. 4. **Aqueous Equilibria** - Building on the previous units, this section delves deeper into equilibrium, examining buffers, acid/base titrations, and the behavior of insoluble salts, which are fundamental to understanding real-world applications in chemistry. 5. **Thermodynamics** - Lastly, the thermodynamics unit encapsulates crucial concepts of spontaneity in chemical reactions, focusing on entropy and free energy. This segment is pivotal for predicting reaction viability based on environmental conditions. #### Why You Should Take This Course - **Comprehensive Coverage:** The course addresses critical areas in advanced chemistry, making it suitable for those aiming to pursue further studies in sciences or engineering disciplines. - **Practical Problem Solving:** With a strong focus on problem-solving, students are equipped with valuable skills applicable in academic settings and real-world scenarios. - **Strong Foundations:** The course reinforces previous knowledge while introducing complex concepts, ensuring learners can bridge the gap to advanced studies effectively. - **Expert Instruction:** Coursera typically collaborates with established universities and educators, ensuring that students benefit from high-quality instruction and resources. #### Final Recommendations I highly recommend the "Advanced Chemistry" course on Coursera for anyone with a foundational understanding of chemistry who seeks to expand their knowledge significantly. Whether you plan to pursue further education or wish to enhance your general understanding of chemistry for personal or professional reasons, this course will provide you with a robust framework in advanced chemical principles. Enrolling in this course will help solidify your grasp of advanced chemistry concepts, offering insights that are beneficial for academic success and applicable in various scientific fields. Don’t miss the opportunity to elevate your chemistry knowledge—sign up today on Coursera!

Syllabus

Kinetics

The study of chemical kinetics is the study of change over time. It answers questions like: How fast are reactants consumed? How fast are products formed? This unit is dedicated to the exploration of how these questions are answered. We will look at the experimental evidence of how concentration affects these rates. We will also examine what occurs on the molecular level, especially with respect to the motion of molecules, that affects rates of reactions.

This unit introduces the concept of chemical equilibrium and how it applies to many chemical reactions. The quantitative aspects of equilibrium are explored thoroughly through discussions of the law of mass action as well as the relationship between equilibrium constants with respect to concentrations and pressures of substances. Much of the discussion explores how to solve problems to find either the value of the equilibrium constant or the concentrations of substances at equilibrium. ICE (initial-change-equilibrium) tables are introduced as a problem-solving tool and multiple examples of their use are included. From a qualitative standpoint, Le Châtelier’s principle is used to explain how various factors affect the equilibrium constant of a reaction along with the concentrations of all species.

The concept of equilibrium is applied to acid and base solutions. To begin, the idea of weak acids and bases is explored along with the equilibrium constants associated with their ionization in water and how the value of the equilibrium constant is associated with the strength of the acid or base. The autoionization of water is discussed and how temperature affects this process. A variety of problem types are covered including calculations of pH, pOH, [OH-], and [H+] for both strong and weak acids and bases. Aqueous salt solutions are classified as acids and bases and the multi-step ionization of polyprotic acids is discussed. Finally, the concept of Lewis acids and bases is discussed and demonstrated through examples.

This unit continues and expands on the theme of equlibria. You will examine buffers, acid/base titrations and the equilibria of insoluble salts.

The overarching theme of thermodynamics is the prediction of whether a reaction will occur spontaneously under a certain set of conditions. Entropy and Free Energy are defined and utilized for this purpose.