Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2022-2023 (archived)
Module CHEM1078: CORE CHEMISTRY 1
CORE CHEMISTRY 1
||Available in 2022/23
- A-level or
Undergraduate Programme and Module Handbook 2022-2023 (archived)
Module CHEM1078: CORE CHEMISTRY 1
CORE CHEMISTRY 1
||Available in 2022/23
- A-level or equivalent in Chemistry AND Mathematics
- Practical Chemistry 1A (CHEM1087)
Excluded Combination of Modules
- To teach the fundamentals of Chemistry and to provide a foundation on which later courses can be based.
- Some of the material in this module aims to ensure that students from different pre-university backgrounds reach a common base level.
- Structure and bonding: structure of the hydrogen atom, introduction to orbitals, Aufbau principle, multi-electron atoms, valence bond and MO theories.
- Chemical periodicity.
- Coordination chemistry.
- Organic chemistry. Nucleophiles and electrophiles. Organic synthesis, mechanism, reactivity and stereochemistry. Descriptive chemistry of selected organic functional groups.
- Thermodynamics of ideal chemical systems: first and second laws of thermodynamics, U, H, S, and G, equilibrium constants.
- Chemical kinetics.
- Units and dimensions.
- Spectroscopy and proof of structure: molecular structure analysis by NMR and IR spectroscopies and mass spectrometry.
- draw the graphical forms of hydrogenic wavefunctions, and describe their importance in determining the form of the periodic table;
- describe the hybrid orbital method of bonding in sp, sp2 and sp3 configurations;
- describe the molecular orbital theory of bonding in 1st row homo and hetero diatomics;
- describe trends in properties of elements and compounds throughout the periodic table, and account for why these trends occur;
- determine the co-ordination geometries of simple inorganic and organic molecules and ions and account for the bonding in them;
- describe the difference between electrophiles and nucleophiles, accounting for their differing behaviour;
- describe the key aspects of stereochemistry and be able to appreciate and exemplify the three major types of isomer (constitutional, diastereoisomer, enantiomer);
- rationalise the chemistry of alkanes, alkyl halides, alkenes and carbonyl compounds;
- describe the fundamental organic reaction mechanisms of nucleophilic substitution at sp3 carbon, elimination, electrophilic addition to alkenes and simple aromatics, and nucleophilic addition and substitution at carbonyl groups and apply this understanding to simple transformations;
- describe the basic principles underlying spectroscopy, and be able to deduce the structure of simple organic species from spectra;
- describe the fundamental thermodynamic parameters and calculate their values from physical data, relate changes in the parameters to phase changes and use them to calculate equilibrium constants for chemical reactions;
- relate an equilibrium constant to fundamental thermodynamic parameters;
- manipulate rate equations and analyse experimental kinetic data in chemical and biochemical applications;
- relate reaction mechanism to rate laws and use kinetic data to draw mechanistic conclusions.
- Solve basic chemical problems.
- Work effectively in a tutorial group to solve chemical problems;
- Self-motivation, in self-guided learning.
Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to
the learning outcomes of the module
- Lectures are used to convey concepts, demonstrate what is required to be learned and the application of the theory to practical examples. When appropriate, lectures will be supported by on-line videos, written material, or by information and relevant links on Learn Ultra.
- Tutorials are gi