Units

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Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2013

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

A Chemistry graduate in today's highly technological world requires knowledge of the principles that govern the behaviour of solids, liquids, gases, and mixtures thereof. This leads to an appreciation of how physical chemical principles determine the bulk properties of materials and how the chemical nature of interfaces govern chemical reactions in many important applications. This unit is placed appropriately in fifth semester, following the second year units that provide the basic principles, language and tools of chemistry.

Aims

To understand how physical chemistry determines the nature and properties of matter.

Objectives

On successful completion of this unit, you should:

1. Understand the application of physical and chemical principles of substances and materials to solve practical applications of chemistry in our technological society.
2. Demonstrate comprehension of how small molecule units can be combined to form macromolecules and how the properties and applications of such molecules depend on their structures.
3. Demonstrate problem solving skills in physical chemistry by applying fundamental chemical and physical principles.
4. Enhance your laboratory skills in handling sensitive instrumentation.
5. Demonstrate ability to obtain, evaluate and communicate laboratory data and results in a scientifically critical manner.

Content

1. Macromolecules: Macromolecular structure and concepts, organic and inorganic polymers, their properties and some applications, polymer degradation, as well as more fundamental topics such as types of polymerisation, polymer synthesis and solid state properties.

2. Phase Equilibria and Colloid Science: Physical transformations of pure substances. The application of equilibrium thermodynamics to chemistry: phase diagrams, phase boundaries, critical points, boiling points, melting points and triple points. use of chemical potential of substances to describe the physical properties of mixtures: colligative properties - solubility, boiling point elevation, freezing point depression. Concepts of phase equilibria, phase transitions and phase stability in one and two component systems, liquid-vapour equilibria and principles of colloid chemistry.

3. Surface Science and Material Properties: Surface science and its applications in modern society; intermolecular forces and surfaces of liquids, colloid stability, rheology, emulsions and foams, catalytic activity; applications of colloid and sol-gel technology.

4. Heterogeneous reaction processes: Physical chemistry's direct application to chemical reactions. Starting with adsorption and desorption processes, including physisorption and chemisorption, adsorption isotherms, dissociative adsorption, mixed adsorption and heterogeneous catalysis.

5. Applied Electrochemistry: The electrified interface, charge transfer across the interface, concentration polarisation and electrochemical processes, corrosion and its impact on society.

Approaches to Teaching and Learning

Lectures/tutorials (26 hours, 2 hours per week)
The lectures will describe some major classes of materials, their preparation, characterization and applications.

Practical work (24 hours, 8 x 3 hour sessions)
Practical work will comprise a series of exercises that illustrate the concepts from the lectures. Universal scientific skills such as the collection of accurate data, critical appreciation of the quality of data, and deductive reasoning are key features.

Workshops (8 hours, 4 x 2 hours)
These interactive sessions will allow a deeper exploration of selected topics from the lecture program and the principles illustrated in the practical exercises.

Participation in workshops and laboratory exercises is an important component of the unit. Laboratory reports are assessed and returned to you during semester. The feedback provided therein will help you to monitor your progress and correct any misunderstandings.

Assessment

In this unit, you will be assessed by a combination of written reports on laboratory exercises and a final written examination.You will have ample opportunity during the laboratory program to interact with staff and obtain feedback on your understanding of the concepts in this unit. Feedback from practical reports will be provided by written comments and/or one-to-one contact with staff.

Assessment name: Examination
Description: A written examination will be conducted during the examination period.
Relates to objectives: 1 to 3.
Weight: 60%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Exam Period

Assessment name: Laboratory/Practical
Description: You will prepare reports based on a series of laboratory exercises.
Relates to objectives: 3 to 5.
Weight: 40%
Internal or external: Internal
Group or individual: Individual
Due date: Ongoing

Academic Honesty

QUT is committed to maintaining high academic standards to protect the value of its qualifications. To assist you in assuring the academic integrity of your assessment you are encouraged to make use of the support materials and services available to help you consider and check your assessment items. Important information about the university's approach to academic integrity of assessment is on your unit Blackboard site.

A breach of academic integrity is regarded as Student Misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties.

Resource materials

Recommended textbooks:

1. Atkins P & De Paula J (2006) Atkins' Physical Chemistry, 8th Edition, Oxford University Press.

Risk assessment statement

The professional practice of Chemistry requires the safe handling of Hazardous Substances. A practical laboratory program is an important part of this unit, so you will be required to handle such substances. The chemicals and procedures used in this unit are deemed to be appropriate for students at this level of the course. You will be provided with a School Health and Safety Manual in this unit (or a pre-requisite unit). Health and Safety information and precautions relevant to the particular experiment are clearly explained in the Practical Manual. Having been provided with this information, it is your responsibility to read and comply with these instructions for the safety of yourself, your fellow students and staff.

Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

Last modified: 19-Oct-2012