Agricultural Chemistry (Theory)

The course is mandatory the first semester of the Department of Agronomy Technologists of Technological Institute of Epirus. It is the introductory course of the General Chemistry, where the science of chemistry is founded, so the student can then successfully follow the courses of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, nutrition, fertilization, soil science, physiology of plants, physiology of animals, only some of the courses which are based on the chemistry.

Objectives

It is pointless to sit and enumerate what went wrong in middle school and high school and so many of you were afraid of Chemistry. We will learn one by one the secrets and the way of thinking of chemicals, and from there on we will all fit like a riddle! A large Canadian chemist and biochemist, the Keith Laidler, wrote that "the chemistry combines both qualitative and quantitative thinking" to complete Einstein that "the chemistry is difficult, especially for chemists!" The first meant that not everything needs to do accurate calculations in chemistry, but you must know when and when not need to make such calculations. The second, that in his time chemists were finding it very difficult to understand many concepts of individual, especially physics. How will we get out from this mess? Very simply by solving exercises. Beyond the questions and exercises in the booklet I gave you, the lecture will be explained, and exercises in laboratory sites are solved. The understanding of matter arises effortlessly from the solution of the exercises. At the end of each week all the relevant exercises in each chapter are covered in theory, in order to gain confidence and intuition. After that, you can solve any exercise!

Prerequisites

The course is an introduction to Chemistry. However basic knowledge of mathematical operations, reading formulas and computer use are necessary.

Syllabus

Section 01 - General principles of chemistry, atoms and molecules This section is an introduction to the science of chemistry. Additionally main concepts that exist in the art of chemistry such as the atom, molecule, their structure and the periodic table are presented. Section 02 - Periodic table of elements This section presents the periodic table and the elements that constitute it. Reference to the Avogadro number and stability characteristics that have some chemical compounds or molecules are provided. Also it is shown what the chemical balance is. Section 03 - Chemical bond, molecular imaging This section focuses on the chemical bond. Initially however, there are significant groups of the periodic table which are presented. Finally the concepts of covalent and ionic bonding are shown and analyzed. Section 04 - Intermolecular forces (hydrogen bond forces van der Waals), Solutions, Chemical equilibrium This section continues the presentation of the theory of chemical bonding, but more particularly of hydrogen bonds and Van der Waals forces. It also presents the structure of atoms and molecules in space. Section 05 - solutions, acids, bases, pH, solubility product This section describes the meaning of solutions and why they are important to our lives. We will also see how we express the concentration of solutions, what is important to know about them and also many important examples. Section 06 - Acids, bases, pH, solubility product This section describes the definition of chemical equilibrium, laws which govern it and examples of reactions. Also the concept of the catalyst is presented. Section 07 - Mixes, colloids, surface phenomena, adsorption-ion exchange This section focuses on acids and bases. What properties have, that they serve in our bodies and reactions that take place. Section 08 - Chemical reactions, thermodynamics / kinetics Chemical reactions are the most important elements of chemistry. They take place both inside and outside the organizations and are characterized by great diversity. This section will present some important species associated with the environment of organizations. Section 09 - Chemical reactions, thermodynamics / kinetics (2) This section is a continuation of the previous one and focuses on chemical reactions and specific energy Gibbs. Also the role and meaning of the catalyst is presented. Section 10 - light absorption and Lambert-Beer Law This section describes the connection between the standard free energy and the equilibrium constant. We show why exoergic reaction must possess great equilibrium constant. Section 11 - Absorption spectra, Fluorescence, global warming This section focuses on the Lambert - Beer law and absorbability of a substance in solution at specific wavelengths. Among other it presents and analyzes the climate problem of global warming and its substances and trace phenomena like osmosis in cells. Section 12 - Osmosis, passive and active ion absorption This section presents the meaning of radioactivity, risks and its applications. Also examined elements and their properties that are important for animals, plants and general agencies. Section 13 - Inorganic elements and compounds, radioisotopes The course is a recapitulation of all previous modules.