DistanceLearningCentre.com
LEARNING MATERIALS
Subject: Chemistry / Medicine
Unit: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of
Chemistry
Topic 1: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of
Chemistry
Level: 3
Essential reading
There is no essential textbook for this topic, but you should find that
any A-Level Chemistry textbook will provide a useful guide. The
following textbooks, which you should buy as a pair, are examples of
textbooks that would be suitable:
• AS Level Chemistry for AQA Student Book (Advanced Level
Chemistry for AQA) (2000) by John Atkinson and Carol Hibbert,
published by Heinemann. ISBN-10: 0435581341. ISBN-13: 978-
0435581343
AQA A2 Level Chemistry Student Book (Advanced Level Chemistry for
AQA) (2001) by John Atkinson and Carol Hibbert, published by
Heinemann. ISBN-10: 0435581317. ISBN-13: 978-0435581312
Recommended reading:
Recommended reading for this topic is listed in the back pages of
these learning materials.
Further resources:
Further resources to deepen your learning on specific aspects of this
topic are listed throughout these learning materials.
If you see this icon you will be able to listen to how the word is
pronounced
Read and make notes:
Making notes turns reading into studying. Notes should be brief, clear and
helpful.
To help your understanding:
© DistanceLearningCentre.com 2022
, • rewrite or summarise what you have learned (avoid copying what
you have read);
• note down any questions your studying has raised, either to ask
your tutor, or to develop into further research.
To help you to remember:
• sum things up to improve long term memory;
• write things down to aid motor memory;
• use colour, images or patterns to help visual memory.
To help you in your assessments:
• record where you will find information (e.g. page numbers);
• keep your notes organised and easy to navigate;
• highlight where further reading and research are needed, including
any recommended or further reading;
• use your notes to help you get started on your TAQs.
Read the Specification:
So that you will know the criteria you will be assessed on please
read the unit specification in my courses on the Materials page.
© DistanceLearningCentre.com 2022
, Subject: Chemistry / Medicine
Unit: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of Chemistry
Topic 1: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of Chemistry
Level: 3
LEARNING MATERIALS
Contents
Press CTRL + Click in the contents list to go to the relevant page
Introduction .................................................................................................... 1
1. Subatomic particles .............................................................................. 2
1.1 Structure of the atom ............................................................................... 2
1.1.1 Atomic Number .......................................................................... 3
1.1.2 Mass Number............................................................................. 4
1.2 Atomic structure - energy levels ............................................................... 6
2. Elements, compounds and the periodic table .................................. 10
2.1 Elements................................................................................................ 10
2.2 Compounds ........................................................................................... 10
2.3 Structure of the periodic table ................................................................ 11
3. Ionisation energies .............................................................................. 13
3.1 Successive ionisation energies .............................................................. 15
4. Chemical formulae, and balancing equations ................................. 17
4.1 Chemical Equations ............................................................................... 17
4.2 Assigning states to reactant and product molecules .............................. 22
5. Mole calculations ................................................................................ 25
5.1 Mass of atoms ....................................................................................... 25
5.2 Mass of compounds ............................................................................... 27
5.3 The mole................................................................................................ 28
5.4 Concentration of solutions ..................................................................... 32
6. Bonding ................................................................................................ 35
6.1 Ionic bonding ......................................................................................... 36
6.1.1 Properties of ionic compounds .......................................................... 39
6.2 Metallic bonding ..................................................................................... 40
6.3 Covalent bonding ................................................................................... 41
6.4 Dative (coordinate) bonding ................................................................... 44
6.5 Macromolecular structures ..................................................................... 45
7. Shapes of molecules ........................................................................... 48
7.1 Linear molecule ..................................................................................... 48
7.2 Bent molecule ........................................................................................ 48
7.3 Trigonal planar molecule........................................................................ 49
7.4 Pyramidal molecule ............................................................................... 49
© DistanceLearningCentre.com 2022
, Subject: Chemistry / Medicine
Unit: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of Chemistry
Topic 1: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of Chemistry
Level: 3
LEARNING MATERIALS
7.5 Tetrahedral molecule ............................................................................. 50
7.6 Trigonal bipyramidal molecule ............................................................... 50
7.7 Octahedral molecule .............................................................................. 51
8. Intermolecular forces .......................................................................... 53
8.1 Electronegativity .................................................................................... 53
8.1.1 Patterns of electronegativity in the periodic table ..................... 54
8.2 Permanent dipole moments ................................................................... 55
8.3 Hydrogen bonding ................................................................................. 57
8.4 Van der Waals forces............................................................................. 58
Recommended reading ............................................................................... 62
Resources .................................................................................................... 62
Sources and credits..................................................................................... 62
Image credits .................................................................................................. 62
© DistanceLearningCentre.com 2022
LEARNING MATERIALS
Subject: Chemistry / Medicine
Unit: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of
Chemistry
Topic 1: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of
Chemistry
Level: 3
Essential reading
There is no essential textbook for this topic, but you should find that
any A-Level Chemistry textbook will provide a useful guide. The
following textbooks, which you should buy as a pair, are examples of
textbooks that would be suitable:
• AS Level Chemistry for AQA Student Book (Advanced Level
Chemistry for AQA) (2000) by John Atkinson and Carol Hibbert,
published by Heinemann. ISBN-10: 0435581341. ISBN-13: 978-
0435581343
AQA A2 Level Chemistry Student Book (Advanced Level Chemistry for
AQA) (2001) by John Atkinson and Carol Hibbert, published by
Heinemann. ISBN-10: 0435581317. ISBN-13: 978-0435581312
Recommended reading:
Recommended reading for this topic is listed in the back pages of
these learning materials.
Further resources:
Further resources to deepen your learning on specific aspects of this
topic are listed throughout these learning materials.
If you see this icon you will be able to listen to how the word is
pronounced
Read and make notes:
Making notes turns reading into studying. Notes should be brief, clear and
helpful.
To help your understanding:
© DistanceLearningCentre.com 2022
, • rewrite or summarise what you have learned (avoid copying what
you have read);
• note down any questions your studying has raised, either to ask
your tutor, or to develop into further research.
To help you to remember:
• sum things up to improve long term memory;
• write things down to aid motor memory;
• use colour, images or patterns to help visual memory.
To help you in your assessments:
• record where you will find information (e.g. page numbers);
• keep your notes organised and easy to navigate;
• highlight where further reading and research are needed, including
any recommended or further reading;
• use your notes to help you get started on your TAQs.
Read the Specification:
So that you will know the criteria you will be assessed on please
read the unit specification in my courses on the Materials page.
© DistanceLearningCentre.com 2022
, Subject: Chemistry / Medicine
Unit: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of Chemistry
Topic 1: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of Chemistry
Level: 3
LEARNING MATERIALS
Contents
Press CTRL + Click in the contents list to go to the relevant page
Introduction .................................................................................................... 1
1. Subatomic particles .............................................................................. 2
1.1 Structure of the atom ............................................................................... 2
1.1.1 Atomic Number .......................................................................... 3
1.1.2 Mass Number............................................................................. 4
1.2 Atomic structure - energy levels ............................................................... 6
2. Elements, compounds and the periodic table .................................. 10
2.1 Elements................................................................................................ 10
2.2 Compounds ........................................................................................... 10
2.3 Structure of the periodic table ................................................................ 11
3. Ionisation energies .............................................................................. 13
3.1 Successive ionisation energies .............................................................. 15
4. Chemical formulae, and balancing equations ................................. 17
4.1 Chemical Equations ............................................................................... 17
4.2 Assigning states to reactant and product molecules .............................. 22
5. Mole calculations ................................................................................ 25
5.1 Mass of atoms ....................................................................................... 25
5.2 Mass of compounds ............................................................................... 27
5.3 The mole................................................................................................ 28
5.4 Concentration of solutions ..................................................................... 32
6. Bonding ................................................................................................ 35
6.1 Ionic bonding ......................................................................................... 36
6.1.1 Properties of ionic compounds .......................................................... 39
6.2 Metallic bonding ..................................................................................... 40
6.3 Covalent bonding ................................................................................... 41
6.4 Dative (coordinate) bonding ................................................................... 44
6.5 Macromolecular structures ..................................................................... 45
7. Shapes of molecules ........................................................................... 48
7.1 Linear molecule ..................................................................................... 48
7.2 Bent molecule ........................................................................................ 48
7.3 Trigonal planar molecule........................................................................ 49
7.4 Pyramidal molecule ............................................................................... 49
© DistanceLearningCentre.com 2022
, Subject: Chemistry / Medicine
Unit: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of Chemistry
Topic 1: Introduction to Chemistry/ Fundamentals of Chemistry
Level: 3
LEARNING MATERIALS
7.5 Tetrahedral molecule ............................................................................. 50
7.6 Trigonal bipyramidal molecule ............................................................... 50
7.7 Octahedral molecule .............................................................................. 51
8. Intermolecular forces .......................................................................... 53
8.1 Electronegativity .................................................................................... 53
8.1.1 Patterns of electronegativity in the periodic table ..................... 54
8.2 Permanent dipole moments ................................................................... 55
8.3 Hydrogen bonding ................................................................................. 57
8.4 Van der Waals forces............................................................................. 58
Recommended reading ............................................................................... 62
Resources .................................................................................................... 62
Sources and credits..................................................................................... 62
Image credits .................................................................................................. 62
© DistanceLearningCentre.com 2022
