This course builds on an elementary knowledge of chemistry (equivalent to two years of high school chemistry, such as Year 12 chemistry, or CHEM1001 at UNSW) to explore the quantum mechanical structure of atoms leading to an understanding of the periodic trends in the properties of the elements. This knowledge is applied to understanding chemical bonding and intermolecular forces which together are responsible for determining the properties of materials. General principles of chemical equilibrium are developed and applied to chemical reactions involving acids and bases. The applications of the laws of Thermodynamics to chemical processes are described and ultimately linked to chemical equilibrium. The course concludes with an overview of chemical reactions involving electron transfer, including their applications in biology, corrosion and energy storage for portable electronic devices.

Students enrolled in CHEM1051 will attend the same lectures as CHEM1031, but will have unique tutorial and laboratory groups.

This course covers the same material as CHEM1011, but has additional material covering the determination of the structure of molecules, applications of intermolecular forces in industry and biology, and a more advanced treatment of the theory of chemical bonding.

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