| Semester 1, 2023 External | |
| Units : | 1 |
| School or Department : | School of Agriculture and Environmental Science |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
| Course fee schedule : | /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules |
Staffing
Course Coordinator:
Overview
This course introduces students to the fundamentals of Chemistry. It is designed to provide basic knowledge and understanding for students who are training in disciplines that require the support of Chemistry or its applications.
Topics include atomic theory, formulae, valency, chemical equations, the periodic table, chemical bonding and structure, chemical calculations, chemical reactions, thermodynamics, and, acids and bases. This course has a graded laboratory component. This course contains a highly recommended residential school for external students and highly recommended on-campus laboratories for on-campus students (non-attendance will mean the student misses both an element for assessment preparation and an element of assessment).
Course learning outcomes
On successful completion of this course students will be able to:
- demonstrate an understanding of the chemical and physical principles involved in the application of chemistry in the laboratory, in the community and in industry;
- demonstrate the basic knowledge of chemistry and associated calculations which are needed for higher level courses in related discipline areas;
- demonstrate manipulative skills associated with the effective and safe use of chemical substances, associated chemical laboratory apparatus and equipment;
- solve practical problems associated with the laboratory classes;
- demonstrate awareness of aspects associated with safe laboratory procedures and activities.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Calculations: SI units, significant figures, moles, composition, formulae, concentration. | 22.50 |
| 2. | Atomic and Molecular Structure: Electronic structure of the atom, shells, subshells, orbitals, electron configuration, Pauli exclusion principle, Hund's rule, The periodic table, electronegativity, stoichiometry, valency, oxidation states and formulae, Bonding;types, naming, structure, Lewis dot structure and VSEPR theory. | 22.50 |
| 3. | Chemical Thermodynamics: gases, liquids, solids, Gibbs free energy, enthalpy, entropy, heat capacity, reaction spontaneity. | 10.00 |
| 4. | Solution Chemistry: solubility, balancing and writing precipitation reactions, equilibria, solubility product. | 10.00 |
| 5. | Acid/Base Chemistry; balancing and writing acid/base reactions, weak and strong acids/bases, acid dissociation, base ionisation, pH (strong and weak acids/bases), buffers, pH indicators and titrations | 25.00 |
| 6. | Laboratory: The practical exercises are designed to illustrate many of the above items associated with the lectures, and develop manipulative skills and safe work practices. At the conclusion of the practicals the students will: understand the need for safety in the laboratory and safe work habits; be able to use appropriate laboratory techniques; have mastered some basic laboratory skills, as provided by the above laboratory experiments; have used some common laboratory equipment. | 10.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
Student workload expectations
To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.
Assessment details
| Description | Group Assessment |
Weighting (%) | Course learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quiz A1 of 3 | No | 10 | 1 |
| Quiz A2 of 3 | No | 10 | 1,2 |
| Quiz | No | 30 | 1,2 |
| Quiz A3 of 3 | No | 10 | 1,2,4 |
| Practical | No | 10 | 1,3,4,5,6 |
| Time limited online examinatn | No | 30 | 1,2,4 |