MODULE

Chemistry for Engineers

Chemistry for Engineers Module (Chem 16)

1st Semester 2020 – 2021

Prepared and Compiled by:

Jade C. Endico – Calihat
Instructor

Utilized by: Charmiene Jennifer P. Zafra

Instructor

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General Chemistry

INTRODUCTION

Chemistry is the science and study of matter, including its properties, composition as well
as reactivity. Chemistry relates to everything that can be sensed from the minute elements
to complex structures. The atom and molecules are the basic unit or components of
Chemistry. The study of chemists is always interested in identifying and knowing how the
chemical transformation occurs. It plays an essential role in science and plays a central
role in daily life activities.
Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field which combines other sciences, such
as physical, biological and information sciences, to study the environment and factors
involved, management procedures, existing problems and possible solutions for
improvement. Chemistry is considered the central science because it is essential to other

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Chemistry for Engineers
natural and applied sciences. It involves the study of the
composition, structure, and properties of matter, from the smallest unit to the largest scale
knowledge can offer. It explains the nature and reactivity of elements and substances,
energy production, and other information related to the systems in the environment.

Module Objectives:
1. Describe matter and its structure, in terms of atoms, ions and molecules
2. Explain and predict the behaviour of simple atoms and molecules in terms of their
electronic structure and interactions
3. Describe quantitatively chemical reactions and perform calculations involving the
application of chemical principles
4. Discuss how energy is involved in physical and chemical changes

Chapter 1
Introduction: Matter and Measurement

Learning outcomes:
1. Distinguish among elements, compounds, and mixtures.
2. Identify symbols of common elements.
3. Identify common metric prefixes.
4. Demonstrate the use of significant figures, scientific notation, and S units in
calculations.
5. Attach appropriate SI units to defined quantities, and employ dimensional analysis in
calculations

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General Chemistry
Chemistry
is the study of matter, its properties,
composition, and structure and the changes
it undergoes. It is central to our fundamental
understanding of many science-related fields.

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General Chemistry

Atomic and Molecular Perspective

Matter – Anything
that has mass and
occupies space.

Atom – The smallest

stable building block
of matter.

Molecule – Groups of atoms held

together with a specific connectivity
and shape.

Composition - the types of atoms that are present in a compound and the ratio of

these atoms (for example H2O, C2H6O).

Structure - how atoms are connected (bonded) to each other, how far apart
they are, and the shape of the molecule.

Methods of Classification of Matter

State of Matter - physical state is gas, liquid, or solid.

Composition of Matter - element, compound, or mixture

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General Chemistry

1) Gas (vapor) – has no

fixed volume or shape,
uniformly
expands to fill its
container,
compressible,
r e a d ily,
flows diffusion
occurs rapidly.
2) Liquid - has a distinct
volume
independent of its container, assumes the shape of the portion of the container it
occupies, not significantly compressible, diffusion occurs but slower than a gas.
3) Solid - has both a definite shape and definite volume, not significantly
compressible, diffusion occurs extremely slowly.

Elements, Compounds and Mixtures

Substance. Matter that has a fixed composition and distinct properties. All substances
are either elements or compounds.

Elements. All atoms are the same kind, elements have only one type of atom. e.g.
oxygen (O2), gold (Au), silicon (Si) and diamond (C).
Compounds. Contains more than one type of atom, but all molecules (or repeat
units) are the same, e.g. water (H2O), ethanol (C2H6O), quartz (SiO2), sodium chloride
(NaCl).

Mixture. Have variable composition and can be separated into component parts by
physical methods. Mixtures contain more than one kind of molecule, and their
properties depend on the relative amount of each component present in the mixture.

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General Chemistry

Periodic Table

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General Chemistry

in

Elements are represented as

symbols with one or two
letters; the first is always
capitalized

Compound Elements

Elements can interact with other elements to form compounds, and compounds can be
decomposed into elements.

The elemental composition of a compound is always the same, which is known as the
Law of Constant Composition (or Law of Definite Proportions).

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Homogenous and Heterogenous Mixtures

Heterogeneous Mixture - nonuniform.

Chocolate Chip Cookie – Chocolate,
Dough, etc.
Concrete – Cement, Rocks, etc.
Nachos – Chips, cheese, jalapeños, salsa, etc.

Homogeneous Mixture – uniform throughout, also called a solution.

Air – principle components include O2, N2 & CO2
Vodka – principle components are ethanol and water

Brass – solid solution of Cu and Zn

Ruby – solid solution of Al2O3 and Cr2O3

Composition of a mixture can vary

Chemical and Physical Properties

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Physical Properties. Some properties can be readily measured with our senses,
e.g. odor and color, instruments are needed to measure other properties, such as
electrical resistivity, hardness, melting point, boiling point, density, mass, volume,
etc.
Chemical Properties. Describe the reactivity of a substance toward other
substances. Examples include:

Ethanol burns in air (reacts with oxygen) Sodium reacts

vigorously with water, Corrosion of metal parts (rust),
Trinitrotoluene (TNT) is explosive.

Physical changes are

changes in matter that do not

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change the composition of a substance.
– Examples include changes of state,
temperature, and volume.
Chemical changes
result in new substances.
– Examples include combustion,
oxidation, and decomposition.

Properties of Matter

Intensive Properties:
□ Independent of the amount of the substance that is
present.
• Density, boiling point, color, etc.

Extensive Properties:
□ Dependent upon the amount of the substance present.
• Mass, volume, energy, etc.

Separation of Mi xture

Filtration Distillation

Chromatography

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• Energy is the
capacity to do
work or transfer
heat.
• Work is the
energy
transferred when
a force exerted
on an object
causes a
displacement of
that object.
• Heat is the energy used to cause the temperature of an
object to increase.
• Force is any push or pull on an object.

• Kinetic energy is the energy of motion.

– Its magnitude depends on the object‟s mass and its

velocity: KE = ½mv2

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• Potential energy of an object
depends on its relative position compared to other objects.
• Potential energy also refers to the composition of an
object, including the energy stored in chemical bonds.
One of the goals in chemistry is to relate the energy changes
in the macroscopic world to the kinetic or potential energy of
substances at the molecular level.

Major role in quantifying:

– Units of measurement
– Quantities that are measured and calculated

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– U n c e r t a in t y i n m e a s u r e m e n t
– S ig n ific a n t fig u r e s
– Di m e n s io n a l a n a ly s i s
( e .g . 1 in c h = 2 . 5 4
cm )

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centimeter
(cm × cm × cm = cm3)

G la ss w a r e f o r Me a s u r in g Vo lu m e

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Uncertainty in Measurements - Different measuring devices have different uses and

different degrees of precision.

Te m p e r a t u r e S c a le s

Temperature – the “hotness and coldness” of an object.

Heat flows spontaneously from an object with a higher temperature to an object with a
lower temperature.

Te m p e r a t u r e

• The Kelvin is the SI unit of

temperature.
• It is based on the
properties of gases.
• There are no negative
Kelvin
temperatures
.
• K = C + 273.15

Temperature

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•The Fahrenheit scale is
not used in scientific
measurements.
F = 9/5(C) + 32
C = 5/9(F − 32)

The „9/5‟, „5/9‟, and

‟32‟ are exact
numbers and do not
influence significant
figures.

De n s it y

mass m Example: A piece of

Density = d = volume = V unknown metal with a right

rectangular prism shape has a
width of 3.2 cm , a length of
17.1 cm and height of 4.0 cm.
Its mass is 1.5 kg. Calculate the
density of the metal in g/cm3.

En e r g y

• The unit of energy: Joule (J). It is a derived

unit, kg · m2/s2 :

– Kinetic energy: KE = ½ m v2

– If the object is 2 kg, and it moves at 1 m/s, it will posses 1 J of kinetic

energy:

– 1 J = ½ (2 kg) (1 m/s)2 OR: 1 J ≡ 1 kg · m2/s2

• The kJ is commonly used for chemical change.

• Historically, the calorie was used: 1 cal = 4.184 J
• This calorie is NOT the nutritional Calorie. That one is a kcal. • 1 nutritional Calorie
= 1 Cal = 1000 cal
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Numbers in Chemistry

• Exact numbers are counted or given by definition. For example,

there are 12 eggs in 1 dozen and 3 feet in 1 yard.
• Inexact (or measured) numbers depend on how they were
determined. Scientific instruments have limitations (equipment
errors) and individuals can read some instrumentation differently
(human errors).

Digital Reading Scale read by

e ye

The last digit measured is considered reliable, but not exact.

Precision and Accuracy

• Precision is a measure of how closely individual measurements to

agree with one another.
• Accuracy refers to how closely individual measurements agree with
the correct “true” value.

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S ig n ific a n t Fig u r e s

• The term significant

figures refer to digits that were measured.

• When rounding calculated numbers, we pay attention to significant

figures so we do not overstate the accuracy of our answers.

Significant Figures

1. Zeros between non-zero numbers are always significant.

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2. Zeros at the beginning of a number are never significant, merely indicate the
position of the decimal point.

3. Zeros at the end of the number after a decimal place are significant if the number
contains a decimal point.

4. Zeros at the end of a number before a decimal place are ambiguous (e.g. 23,800
g), unless a decimal point is written at the end (i.e. 23,800. g). Assume the zeros are
insignificant, unless there is a decimal point. Avoid ambiguity by using scientific notation.

S ig n ific a n t Fig u r e s

How many significant figures are present in

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U n i t s a r e m u lt ip lie d t o g e th e r o r d iv id e d in t o Dimensional Analysis

each other along with the numerical values.
• Keep track of both numerical values and units.

- c lim a t e - o b s e r v e r - r e pi o r t /
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References:

3G Learning. 2017. General Chemistry 1& 2. 3G ELearning Fz LCC

Ebbing, D and Gammon, 2017. General Chemistry Eleven Edition. www.cengage.com
Lufaso, M. General Chemistry I available at
https://www.unf.edu/~michael.lufaso/chem2045/index.html
Tayaban, Joydee P. 2015. Chemistry. Jimczyville Publications

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