Main topics covered in "Chemical Principles" (Dickerson, Gray, Haight)
- Introduction to General Chemistry
-- Atomic structure, electron configuration
-- Periodic law and trends in the periodic table

-Chemical Bonds and Molecular Structure
-- Ionic, covalent, and metallic bonding
-- Molecular geometry, valence theories, and molecular orientation
-- Structure determination methods: VSEPR, orbital diagrams

- Chemical Reactions and Stoichiometry
-- Law of conservation of mass, balancing equations
-- Types of reactions: exchange, redox, acid–base
-- Solutions and solubility, colloidal systems

- Thermochemistry
-- First and second laws of thermodynamics
-- Enthalpy, enthalpy change, entropy, Gibbs free energy
-- Heat balance of reactions and electrochemistry (often covered)

- Chemical Equilibrium and Dynamics
-- Chemical equilibrium, rate constant
-- Law of mass action, Le Châtelier's principle

- Chemical Kinetics
-- Reaction rates, temperature dependence (Arrhenius equation)
-- Mechanisms and transition-state theory

- Atomic and Molecular Spectroscopy
-- Principles of absorption, emission, and scattering of light
-- Basic concepts of electronic, rotational, and vibrational spectroscopy

- Thermodynamics of Chemical Systems
-- Roles of enthalpy, entropy, and free energy in predicting reaction direction
-- Thermodynamic rationales with solvents and gases

- Chemistry of Solutions
-- Concentrations, solution calculations, buffer systems
-- Electrolyte solutions and their properties

- Gas Chemistry and States of Matter
-- Ideal gas law, deviations for real gases
-- Equations of state and their applications

- Electrochemistry and Charge Transfer
-- Electrochemical cells, cell potentials
-- Electrolysis and charge transport in solutions

- Materials Chemistry and Biochemical Contexts (as needed)
-- Basics of materials chemistry, interactions with biological systems