Lecture 1

Basic Concepts of Chemistry

UNIT:1
Objectives
After the completion of this unit students will be able to:
1. Review the basic concepts of matter and elements mixture,
compounds, chemical reactions, equations & bonding.
2. Discuss Acid base and redox reactions.
 Importance of Chemistry in Nursing
1. Medication administration: Nurses need a solid understanding of chemistry to administer
medications safely, including understanding drug interactions, dosages, and how drugs affect the
body's chemistry.
2. Understanding disease processes: Chemistry knowledge helps nurses understand the underlying
biochemical mechanisms of diseases, allowing for better patient assessment, diagnosis, and
treatment.
3. Lab tests interpretation: Nurses often interpret lab results, which are based on chemical analyses.
Understanding chemistry helps nurses accurately interpret these results and communicate effectively
with other healthcare professionals.
4. Infection control: Chemistry knowledge is essential for understanding the chemical properties of
disinfectants, antiseptics, and sterilization techniques, which are crucial for preventing and
controlling infections in healthcare settings.
5. Wound Care: Knowledge of chemistry helps nurses select
appropriate wound care products and understand the chemical processes
involved in wound healing.
6. Patient education: Nurses educate patients about their medications,
treatment plans, and lifestyle modifications. A solid understanding of
chemistry enables nurses to explain complex concepts in a way that
patients can understand and follow.
 Basic concepts of chemistry

Matter:
Matter refers to anything that has mass and occupies space. It
encompasses substances that can be classified as solid, liquid, or gas
(The 3 forms of matter).
Matter is composed of atoms, which are the basic building blocks of all
elements and compounds. These atoms interact with each other
through chemical bonds to form various substances with distinct
properties.
 Example
Carbon atom
 Periodic Table of Elements

• The periodic table of elements is a tabular arrangement of chemical elements,

organized based on their atomic number, electron configuration, and recurring
chemical properties.

• It consists of rows called Periods and columns called Groups.

• Elements within the same group generally have similar chemical properties,
while those in the same period have sequentially increasing atomic numbers.

• The periodic table provides a systematic way to visualize and understand the
relationships between different elements and their properties.

• The periodic table includes a total of 118 elements.

• These elements are organized based on their atomic number, which corresponds to the
number of protons in an atom’s nucleus and generally increases with atomic mass
•
• Each element is represented by a unique symbol and has distinct chemical properties th
scientists use to predict behaviors and interactions between elements
Chemical Formula
A chemical formula is a symbolic representation that indicates the types
of atoms present in a compound and their relative proportions.

It consists of chemical symbols for the elements involved, along with

numerical subscripts to denote the number of atoms of each element in
the compound.

For example, the chemical formula for water is H2O where "H"
represents hydrogen and "O" represents oxygen, and the subscript "2"
indicates that there are two hydrogen atoms bonded to one oxygen
atom.
Chemical Reaction
• Chemical reactions are processes in which one or more substances
(reactants) are converted into different substances (products) by
rearranging their chemical bonds.
• During a chemical reaction, the bonds between atoms in the reactants
break, and new bonds form to create the products. Chemical
reactions involve the breaking of chemical bonds in the reactants, the
rearrangement of atoms, and the formation of new bonds to produce
one or more different substances with unique properties.
• These reactions can involve changes in energy, such as the release or
absorption of heat or light.
Chemical Equation
Chemical equations are symbolic representations of chemical reactions
using chemical formulas and symbols.
They show the reactants on the left side of the equation and the products
on the right side, separated by an arrow to indicate the direction of the
reaction.
Chemical equations also include coefficients, which are numbers placed in
front of the chemical formulas to balance the equation by ensuring that the
same number of atoms of each element are present on both sides.
For example, the chemical equation for the reaction between hydrogen gas
(H2) and oxygen gas (O2) to form water (H2O) is:
2H2 + O2 → 2H2O
Chemical Bondings
Chemical bonding refers to the attractive forces that hold atoms together in molecules, ions, or
crystals. These bonds are formed when atoms share, transfer, or accept electrons to achieve a stable
electron configuration, typically by filling their outermost energy levels (valence shells). There are
three main types of chemical bond.
1. Covalent Bond: Involves the sharing of electrons between atoms, resulting in the formation of
molecules. Covalent bonds are typically found in nonmetallic elements and compounds.
2. Ionic Bond: Forms when one or more electrons are transferred from one atom to another, resulting
in the formation of positively and negatively charged ions. Ionic bonds occur between metal and non-
metal atoms.
3. Metallic Bond: Occurs between metal atoms, where the valence electrons are delocalized and free
to move throughout the metallic structure, creating a “sea of electrons” that holds the atoms together.
Chemical bonding plays a fundamental role in determining the physical and chemical properties of
substances, influencing their behavior in various contexts, such as in reactions, phase changes, and
the formation of materials.
 Types of chemical bonds
Based on bond energy (U) chemical bonds can be divided into two categories:
(1) Strong bonds (U > 42 kJ/mol)
1. Ionic Bond
2. Covalent Bond (Polar Covalent Bond, Non-polar Covalent Bond)
3. Metallic Bond
(2) Weak bonds (U < 42 kJ/mol)
1. Hydrogen Bond
2. Dipole-Dipole Bond
3. Van-der-waals Bond
4. London Dispersion forces
Note: These bonds mentioned above are arranged in decreasing order of bond
energy. Thus, ionic bonds are the strongest and london-dispersion forces are
the weakest.
Redox Reaction
A redox (reduction-oxidation) reaction is a chemical process where
electrons are transferred between two substances.
One substance loses electrons (oxidation) while another gains those
electrons (reduction).
In simpler terms, it's like a "trade" of electrons between atoms or
molecules, where one becomes more positively charged (oxidized) and
the other becomes more negatively charged (reduced).
 Acid and Bases
ACIDS and BASES are two types of chemicals with different properties.

Acid: An acid is a substance that Base: A base is a substance that

can donate a hydrogen ion (H+) can accept a hydrogen ion (H+)
when dissolved in water. Acids when dissolved in water or donate
often taste sour and can react hydroxide ions (OH-). Bases often
with metals to produce hydrogen taste bitter and feel slippery to the
gas. Examples include lemon juice touch. Examples include baking
(citric acid) and vinegar (acetic soda (sodium bicarbonate) and
acid). ammonia (NH3).