Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions and Ratios

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

Introduction

**Course Review: Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions and Ratios on Coursera** If you're seeking to bolster your understanding of chemistry, especially if you have little to no background in the subject, the "Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions and Ratios" course on Coursera is an excellent choice. Offered over seven weeks, this introductory program is meticulously designed to help learners grasp basic chemical concepts with a focus on reactions and stoichiometry. Let's delve into an overview of the course, outline its key features, and discuss who might benefit most from enrolling. ### Course Overview The "Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions and Ratios" course sets out to engage students by progressing from foundational knowledge of matter and energy to solving intriguing real-world chemical reaction problems. Each week builds on the last, allowing learners to develop a cohesive understanding of chemistry as the curriculum unfolds. The course covers essential topics such as the periodic table, periodic trends, nomenclature, and chemical problem-solving, all vital for those aiming to pursue further studies in science, healthcare, or policy-related professions. ### Course Syllabus Breakdown #### Week 1: Introduction The course kicks off with a focus on scientific methods and measurement. Students are introduced to the basic concepts of matter and energy, along with the foundational principles of stoichiometry. This week features engaging lab demonstrations to solidify understanding. #### Week 2: Matter and Energy Building on the initial introduction, this week dives deeper into significant figures, sub-atomic particles, isotopes, and how to name compounds. A unique aspect is the optional advanced problem set, which provides extra challenge for motivated learners. #### Week 3: Compounds Here, students continue exploring how to name various compounds, calculate formula masses, and convert between grams and moles, all while gaining insight into periodic trends. #### Week 4: Chemical Composition and Reactions This week emphasizes chemical reaction terminology and calculations. Engaging practical examples, such as dietary sodium or pollutant levels in water, illuminate the relevance of chemistry in everyday life. #### Week 5: Solutions and Solubility Rules Students transition to aqueous solutions and solubility, discussing precipitations and electrolytes, crucial for understanding chemical interactions in liquid states. #### Week 6: Acid-base and Redox Reactions As one of the final weeks, learners are introduced to acid-base and redox reactions. There’s a significant focus on applying prior knowledge to perform reaction calculations, reinforcing their skills before the last stretch. #### Week 7: Final Exam The course culminates in a comprehensive final exam, providing an opportunity for learners to consolidate their knowledge. Acknowledgment of the effort put into completing the course ensures that students feel a sense of accomplishment. ### Recommendations This course is particularly suited for: 1. **Beginner Chemistry Students:** If you’re venturing into chemistry for the first time or require a refresher on basic concepts, this course offers an ideal starting point. 2. **Science and Healthcare Aspirants:** For individuals planning to pursue careers in science, health, or policy, understanding chemistry is crucial, making this course a valuable preparatory tool. 3. **Individuals with Strong Algebra Skills:** A solid foundation in algebra is a prerequisite, as many chemistry problems involve calculations where mathematical proficiency is key. 4. **Lifelong Learners:** If you have a keen interest in understanding the science behind everyday substances and reactions, the practical applications highlighted throughout the course will keep you engaged and motivated. ### Conclusion In summary, "Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions and Ratios" is a well-structured course that effectively guides learners through the foundational concepts of chemistry at a manageable pace. The combination of engaging materials, practical applications, and community interaction (through discussion forums) makes it a comprehensive learning experience. If you’re ready to embark on your chemistry journey, I highly recommend enrolling in this course—it promises to be informative, challenging, and ultimately rewarding. Good luck as you dive into the fascinating world of chemistry!

Syllabus

Introduction

Over the seven weeks of Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions and Ratios, you will be able to progress from a most basic knowledge of matter and energy to solving interesting real world chemical reaction stoichiometry problems. Each lesson in the course introduces some new concepts that allow you to build upon the material from previous lessons, so completing the coursework in the order that it is delivered will be most beneficial for developing a thorough understanding of synthesized information. This course is intended for students with very little background in the subject, but a strong foundation in algebra is needed to solve some of the problems.In the first unit, the course will first introduce the basic concepts of scientific methods and measurement. Then we will talk about matter, energy, and stoichiometry. Last, we prepared several lab demonstrations by Dr. Ken Lyle. I hope that you are as excited as I am to this amazing world of chemistry! Good luck!

If you are interested in significant figures in more detail, here are some good videos to follow on Khan Academy.

This week we will continue our explorations of matter and energy. We will discuss the sub-atomic particles that govern chemical reactions, isotopes, anions, and cations. We will learn how to name compounds, calculate formula masses, convert between grams and moles, examine periodic trends, and more! An advanced problems set is posted now; that is a longer assignment and is optional unless you would like to be eligible for the Honor’s Track. You can still earn a regular verified certificate without completing the advanced problem sets, so please be sure to keep working on the normal weekly exercises.

In this week's videos and exercises (aka quizzes), we will learn how to name compounds, calculate formula masses, convert between grams and moles, examine periodic trends, and more!

I hope you enjoyed the last two weeks of learning chemistry. Great work on watching videos, posting on the discussion forum and submitting your exercises!

Week 4 for Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions and Ratios is about to begin! This week will be filled with introductions to chemical compositions, chemical reaction terminology, and reaction calculations.

If any of the following questions interest you, then watching this week's videos and doing some practice problems are probably a good way to get started! How much sodium is in my diet? What amount of pollutants are in drinking water? How much iron is in iron ore for steel production? These of the types of problems you will be able to address this week.

In the past five weeks of the course, we have learned concepts, rules, and skills, including but not limited to: the definitions of atoms, elements, molecules, and compounds; energy changes; Coulomb’s Law, molecular stoichiometry; atomic structures; periodic trends; the mole; compounds; atomic and molecular masses; molecular stoichiometry; balancing chemical equations.

In this coming week, we will be discussing aqueous solutions, solubility rules, precipitations and electrolytes! We are also going to learn the first type of chemical reaction equation in this course: Dissolutions.

We are almost at the end of our course! I hope this has been a rewarding experience for you because I know that the course is not an easy one and it is relatively long. So kudos to everyone who has made it this far!

Week 6 for Introduction to Chemistry: Reactions and Ratios will include very basic introductions to acid-base and redox reactions. We will also practice combining what we know from previous weeks to complete reaction calculations.

Congratulations on making through to the final week of the course! It was not an easy journey for the past six weeks with dozens of videos, exercises, problem sets, and forum discussions. Kudos to the many of you who completed the honors lessons on top of the other work. I am proud of all of you!