5.112 (Principles of Chemical Science) or equivalent. A working knowledge of atomic structure, chemical bonding, thermodynamics, and acid-base chemistry is assumed.
1. Course Overview 5.03 Principles of Inorganic Chemistry I is an intermediate-level course designed for undergraduate students (typically sophomores and juniors) majoring in chemistry, chemical engineering, or materials science. The course serves as a foundational bridge between general chemistry and advanced inorganic/organometallic chemistry.
4-0-8 (4 hours of lecture, 0 recitation/lab, 8 hours of preparation) — 12 unit course 2. Core Philosophy The course moves beyond the descriptive, memorization-heavy approach of introductory inorganic chemistry. Instead, it emphasizes physical principles , symmetry , and electronic structure as the unifying themes for understanding the properties and reactivity of main group and transition metal compounds.