CHEM 1000: General Chemistry I

CHEM 1000 is the first half of a full year course in general chemistry taught at the University of Lethbridge.  The second half of the course, CHEM 2000, should ideally be taken within one year of completing CHEM 1000.  The goals of these courses are to introduce you to university-level chemistry and to give you an appreciation for the diversity of the field. 

Learning chemistry is a building process and, in CHEM 1000, we will begin by studying the structure and properties of atoms, the building blocks of matter.  We will then study the properties of the different elements – how they are obtained and how they interact.  In doing so, we will also learn about nuclear chemistry, first order kinetics, molecular structure and geometry, intermolecular forces, kinetic-moleular theory and gases, acid-base chemistry, and applications such as spectroscopy.

The pre-requisites to this course are Chemistry 30 (grade 12 chemistry) and Math 30-1 (grade 12 math that includes pre-calculus; formerly called Pure Math 30).  It is also recommended that students have taken Physics 30 as there is a lot of physics in the first few weeks of CHEM 1000. 

Information provided on this website includes:

Study Habits for Success in Chemistry75 KB
CHEM 1000 Master List for Nomenclature20 KB
CHEM 1000 Reading List (Silberberg 1st Canadian edition - previous book)65 KB
CHEM 1000 Reading List (Silberberg 2nd Canadian edition - previous book)65 KB
CHEM 1000 Reading List (Silberberg 3rd Canadian edition - current book)84 KB
CHEM 1000 Course Outline (Fall 2022)243 KB
CHEM 1000 Lab Schedule (Fall 2022)55 KB

CHEM 1000 Exercises and Practice Test Questions

Exercises are short focused sets of practice questions that can be printed and used as worksheets.  Each Exercise focuses on a single concept or skill.  You should complete Exercises immediately after the concept or skill is discussed in class to ensure that you fully understand it so that you do not fall behind.  It is intended that a single exercise should take no more than fifteen minutes to complete by a student who understands the material (and some can be done in significantly less time than that).  As such, they can be done in breaks between classes or similar short breaks in your day.  

Because many textbooks do not devote much space to Molecular Orbital Theory, each of the Exercises on that topic begins with a supplementary explanation.  I have not yet had time to write similar explanations for the other topics.

Practice Test Questions are longer sets of practice questions, the majority of which have been taken from tests given at the University of Lethbridge in the last twelve years.  The questions within a set of Practice Test Questions are in no particular order, just as questions on an actual test would be in no particular order.

Unless your instructor says otherwise, all material on all Exercises and Practice Test Question sets is testable.  Be aware that reading the answer key to any Exercise or Practice Test Question before completing it is counterproductive and robs you of a learning opportunity.  If you get stuck, ask your instructor or another student for help.  Your brain does not make the same connections when you read an answer as it does when you figure it out yourself.

01 Reviewing Atomic Orbitals, Electron Configurations and Lewis Diagrams

02 Molecular Orbitals of Homonuclear Diatomics

03 Molecular Orbitals of Heteronuclear Diatomics

04 Molecular Orbitals of Polyatomic Molecules

05A Band Theory and Bonding in Metals

05B Valence Bond Theory

06 Entropy and Free Energy

07 Free Energy and Equilibrium

08 Effect of Temperature on Equilibrium 

09 Redox Reactions and Electrochemistry

10 Organic Molecules - Functional Groups and Stereochemistry

11 Organic Reactions

12 Organic Acids and Bases

15M Finance

I have also posted a sample Formula Sheet and a Table of Thermodynamic Data at the end of the list of files below.  You will need these for the Practice Test Questions for Topics 6 to 9 and 12!

CHEM 4000 Course Outline (Spring 2022)212 KB
CHEM 4000 Reading Guide (Spring 2022)113 KB

CHEM 1000 Lecture Notes (Findlay)

These are the most recent versions of my lecture notes for CHEM 1000 (from Fall 2020).

These are skeleton notes; it is intended that you complete them when you attend class (or watch the videos in online offerings). 

The numbering system used is based on three 50 minute lectures per week.  For a 2x75 minute class, treat each class as one-and-a-half lectures long.

CHEM 1000 Lecture 01: Introduction and Administrative Stuff925 KB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 01-02: Atoms and Isotopes558 KB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 03-04: Nuclear Reactions826 KB
CHEM 1000 Lecture 05: Kinetics of Radioactive Decay394 KB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 06-08: Light and the Atom1.56 MB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 09-10: Quantum Numbers746 KB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 11-12: Electron Configurations381 KB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 13-14: Periodic Trends515 KB
CHEM 1000 Lecture 15: Metals997 KB
CHEM 1000 Lecture 16: Alkali Metals664 KB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 17-18: Group 2 Metals and Carbonate Chemistry1.02 MB
CHEM 1000 Lecture 19: Group 13 Metals541 KB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 20-22: Lewis Diagrams, VSEPR and Polarity of Molecules1.31 MB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 23-25: Intermolecular Forces, Kinetic Molecular Theory and Gases1.63 MB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 26-28: Hydrogen, Acids, and Solubility2.67 MB
CHEM 1000 Lecture 28: Ocean Acidification1.83 MB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 29-30: Group 17 (Halogens)1.02 MB
CHEM 1000 Lecture 31: Group 16 (Chalcogens)1.18 MB
CHEM 1000 Lecture 32: Group 15 (Pnictogens)1.16 MB
CHEM 1000 Lecture 33: Group 14 and Boron1.16 MB
CHEM 1000 Lectures 34-36: Co-ordination Chemistry and Colour990 KB

CHEM 1000 Practice Tests

The practice tests posted here are old midterms.  In some cases, they have been edited due to changes in course content.

CHEM 1000 Final Exam

Final exams in CHEM 2000 are always cumulative, covering all concepts taught throughout the course. 

The last page of every test is a double-sided data sheet which contains formulas, values for physical constants, a periodic table and the band of stability graph.  It may also contain additional data such as exact masses of isotopes.  We recommend printing the data sheet from one of the practice tests so that you use it when solving practice questions to get used to the layout.

The practice tests should be used to self-test.  Just reading them (or, worse yet, just reading the answer keys) is a waste of your time and denies you the learning opportunities available when they are used properly.  Do a practice test with your books closed and time yourself.  Only allow yourself the tools you would have on a real test (calculator and data sheet).

CHEM 1000 Data Sheet for Final340 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Final A157 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Final A (Answers)226 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Final B173 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Final B (Answers)261 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Final C233 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Final C (Answers)286 KB

CHEM 1000 Midterm #1

Midterm #1 usually covers course content from the first lecture to the end of electron configurations.  Your instructor will let you know the exact cut-off used in your semester.

The last page of every test is a double-sided data sheet which contains formulas, values for physical constants, a periodic table and the band of stability graph.  It may also contain additional data such as exact masses of isotopes.  A sample data sheet has been posted below.  We recommend that you use it when solving practice questions to get used to the layout.

The practice tests should be used to self-test.  Just reading them (or, worse yet, just reading the answer keys) is a waste of your time and denies you the learning opportunities available when they are used properly.  Do a practice test with your books closed and time yourself.  Only allow yourself the tools you would have on a real test (calculator and data sheet).

Data Sheet for Midterm #1194 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 1A142 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 1A (Answers)255 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 1B (Fall 2012)181 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 1B (Fall 2012) (Answers)282 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 1C (Spring 2013)135 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 1C (Spring 2013) (Answers)220 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 1D (Fall 2017)387 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 1D (Fall 2017) (Answers)479 KB

CHEM 1000 Midterm #2

Midterm #2 usually covers course content from periodic trends to Lewis diagrams and VSEPR.  Your instructor will let you know the exact cut-off used in your semester.

The last page of every test is a double-sided data sheet which contains formulas, values for physical constants, a periodic table and the band of stability graph.  It may also contain additional data such as exact masses of isotopes.  We recommend printing the data sheet from one of the practice tests so that you use it when solving practice questions to get used to the layout.

The practice tests should be used to self-test.  Just reading them (or, worse yet, just reading the answer keys) is a waste of your time and denies you the learning opportunities available when they are used properly.  Do a practice test with your books closed and time yourself.  Only allow yourself the tools you would have on a real test (calculator and data sheet).

CHEM 1000 Practice Test 2A138 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 2A (Answers)154 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 2B (Fall 2012)145 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 2B (Fall 2012) (Answers)181 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 2C (Spring 2013)174 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 2C (Spring 2013) (Answers)206 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 2D (Fall 2017)180 KB
CHEM 1000 Practice Test 2D (Fall 2017) (Answers)369 KB

CHEM 1000 Test Results

These pages contain answer keys for the most recent tests in CHEM 1000 as well as statistics so that students can see how they performed relative to the rest of the class.

CHEM 1000 Midterm #1

Answer keys below are for the Spring 2020 offering of CHEM 1000.

CHEM 1000 Test 1A (Spring 2020)553 KB
CHEM 1000 Test 1A (Spring 2020) (Answers)1.1 MB

CHEM 1000 Midterm #2

Answer keys below are for the Spring 2020 offering of CHEM 1000.

CHEM 1000 Midterm 2A (Spring 2020)610 KB
CHEM 1000 Midterm 2A (Spring 2020) (Answers)1.15 MB